A Conversation with Our Readers

Different angles on sensitive subjects

Readers:

We had a great turnout at our 20th anniversary celebration and reception November 6 at the Chicago Cultural Center. More than 200 supporters of the magazine joined us, as well as the 10 men and women who received the Award for Extraordinary Public Service.

I appreciate all the kind remarks that came our way after the event, and I owe a thank-you to the Illinois Business Roundtable for sponsoring the reception.

Our promise to you now is to make every effort to live up to the high standards set for us by those who nourished this magazine during the past two decades. It's time to move forward with confidence and enthusiasm.

This issue features several topics with angles that may surprise you.

Our cover story by Harold Henderson explores the extent to which we owe protection to endangered species. Are the social and economic costs of such protection always worthwhile? When might they not be? Henderson's analysis begins on page 10.

A similar issue is raised in Jennifer Halperin's analysis of brownfields. When a factory abandons property and leaves contaminated land, cleaning the site before reuse can be expensive. Who should pay these cleanup costs? What standards should be set for the cleanup? If the cost is too high, is the best solution to leave the land idle? This article is on page 18.

Other writers raise thorny issues this month. University of Illinois economist J. Fred Giertz says that Illinoisans send more than their fair share of federal income taxes to Washington, but the state receives less than its fair share of tax dollars in return.

Illinois might be better off, he argues, if the federal budget is cut and the programs and responsibility for funding them returned to the states — that is, if Illinoisans are willing to endure an increase in some state and local taxes.

Perhaps that's a big if, given our current political environment, but Giertz' perspective is worth some reflection. For his analysis, see page 20

Another provocative issue, raised by Kristy Kennedy, is the expressed difficulty school administrators have in firing bad teachers. This is a sensitive issue in educational circles — which is enough to recommend Kennedy's article on page 22.

Finally, our condolences to the friends and family of Mike Bruton, who died November 12. He was president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and an Illinois Issues board member. He will be missed.

Readers like our legislative, education coverage

In October our Question of the Month asked about Illinois Issues magazine itself. Reflecting on our 20th anniversary, we asked for your opinions of the magazine and asked if you had any favorite articles or columns.

One of the first responses surprised me. "I really wanted to read pages 19, 22, 23 and 26 in the October issue, but they were all blank!" a Chicago reader said. "What I like most are the pages with writing on them."

Oops. We promptly sent this reader a complete magazine, and checked out the problem with the printer. It has been taken care of. But that just proves once again that when you ask for feedback, always be prepared for the unforeseen.

Several readers complimented us on our state legislative analysis, which has always been one of the foundations of the magazine.

As an Urbana reader put it: "I like your excellent and frequent coverage of education, something often ignored in public affairs reporting, but which comprises about one-fourth of state and local government spending. [Also] your insightful coverage of the state legislative process is a real strength."

One reader complained about the magazine's price. The price is too high if what we publish isn't useful. But our credibility is based on publishing solid analysis of state government and politics — and you do get a free Roster of State Government Officials with your subscription. Also, our price is in line with similar publications such as Governing and California Journal. So we thank all of you for placing your confidence in us.

Ed Wojcicki

December 1995/Illinois Issues/3