A conversation with our readers                   

Readers:

We'll know in a few weeks who won the Democratic primary for governor - and who the other statewide candidates for the six constitutional offices will be. In recent months we've seen plenty of polls with Dawn dark Netsch and Richard Phelan trailing gubernatorial front-runner Roland Burris. But polls can be wrong. People do change their minds. So we felt no compunction to add to the chorus of political prognosticators who seemingly want to position themselves to declare later they were right all along about who would win. Our feature article focuses instead on the kinds of campaigns the three are running, and what these campaigns might say about the type of leadership they would bring to the governor's office.

Jay Fitzgerald, who covers the Statehouse for the Springfield State Journal-Register, drew this assignment and offers a perspective that will help you understand what could happen after the March 15 primary. His article begins on page 15.

Education reform is on every politician's mind. It's politically easy, not to mention necessary, to be theoretically in favor of improving the state's educational system and finding "innovative ways" to pay the high costs of education. Far more difficult is designing a plan or strategy to get the job done. One proposal Gov. Jim Edgar mentioned in his State of the State address would establish 12 "charter schools" in Illinois. These schools would be allowed to operate free of some of the regulations and work rules that school administrators complain about. Needless to say, any significant change like this is certain to evoke vociferous objections from those who benefit from the status quo. Our Statehouse bureau chief, Jennifer Halperin, examines the ins and outs of the arguments about charter schools in an analytical piece that begins on page 20.

How well Chicago handles events accompanying the five World Cup soccer games there in June and July is going to have a major impact on the city for years to come. That's the assessment of business and government leaders who are thrilled that Chicago is one of nine U.S. cities where World Cup soccer matches will be played this summer. This is the first time that World Cup competition has been held anywhere other than Europe or South America. More than one billion people will watch the festive opening ceremonies June 17, when as many as 12 heads of state might be in Soldier Field as the quadrennial event gets under way.

Soccer is the world's most popular sport, and the World Cup is the world's most coveted sports trophy. Americans have trouble understanding the tremendous passion demonstrated by soccer fans around the world. But the passion is so great that more than 100,000 international visitors are expected in Chicago before, during and after the five games that will be played there from June 17 to July 2.

Illinois leaders see this as an unprecedented opportunity to showcase Chicago as a wonderful vacation city for international travelers. Amazingly enough, research has shown that people around the world are unfamiliar with Chicago's beautiful lakefront. So promotional materials and TV ads in Europe are selling Chicago in a new way. The World Cup has given Chicago a wonderful "hook" to attract attention. But there are security and other logistical concerns. Our article is on page 11.

Heard of the "information superhighway" yet? Several magazines and newspapers are now offering articles and other information electronically. I want to whet your appetite and let you know that next month, we'll be asking about your interest in an electronic link to us. You can already send e-mail to me: on Internet to wojcicki@eagle.sangamon.edu, or on America Online to edwoj@aol.com.

Ed Wojcicki

Readers? advice: Find school funding solution The Question of the Month we posed to our readers in December 1993 was this: ADVICE FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY: If you could identify one issue the Illinois General Assembly must address without a doubt this spring, what would it be? Why? (OK, if you must name a second leading issue, go ahead. Please do.) Of the 46 responses we received, one issue leapt from the page far more times than any other: funding for education. This was mentioned in various ways by 27 respondents (59 percent of the total). A few readers said a tax increase — especially a progressive income tax — is probably necessary. "What Illinois needs," wrote a Gary reader, "is a progressive income tax system that provides the necessary funds for education and a growing economic and financial base." Some readers simply pleaded that a permanent long-term solution to the state's education financial needs be found. And four said a tax increase would generate more revenue for human services as well as education. A related issued raised by several was that lawmakers should carry out the mandate to fund the state's retirement systems. "The Illinois teacher retirement system will suffer even more this year because of the 8,000 expected early retirees. The state is already billions behind in its funding obligations. ... Legislators seem to have two faces. They passed legislation to adequately fund the ITRS pension fund, then they refuse to appropriate the funds." While readers seemed unified in their concern about education funding, they also expressed a wide variety of views on other issues, but no other issue was named by even 10 percent of the respondents. Here is a sampling of other issues: • Legislation to implement the Federal Voter Registration Act, to give county clerks and other election officials time to prepare and act before the effective date of January 1, 1995. • Move the state's primary date from March to June or September. "Campaigns, particularly in the Illinois House, start too early." • A third airport for Chicago. "Let's get moving already." • Health care reform, Medicaid payments, a lower DUI threshold (to .08) — and only two about jobs and the economy. I am grateful to the Carbondale reader who gave me a chuckle by proposing a resolution honoring Pat Quinn for promising not to serve more than eight years if elected secretary of state, and another resolution honoring Roland Burris "for best use of a state office for political gain." Ed Wojcicki

March 1994/Illinois Issues/3