FEATURES

14 Mr. Fixit by Gayle Worland
Richard Durbin goes to the Senate.

20 A tale of two Schools by Dave McKinney
For one it's the best of times; for the other it's the worst.
Welcome to the fight over school funding.

24 Crumbling Schools by Jennifer Davis
Most of Illinois' schools need repairs. Meanwhile, more
kids are on the way. Where will we put them?

28 The south suburbs by Alf Siewers
The south suburbs make up a crazy quilt of interests. But regional
planners argue the Southland may point the way to our future.

32 The paradox of citizenship by Michael Bakalis
We can increase political involvement by limiting
the size and scope of government.

36 Tainted democracy by the Campaign Finance Task Force
Excerpts of a report that calls for campaign finance reform.

DEPARTMENTS

3 A Conversation With
Our Readers
by Ed Wojcicki

4 Editor's Notebook
by Peggy Boyer Long

6 State of the State
by Jennifer Davis
The debate over teacher tenure

8 Briefly
by Donald Sevener

40 People
by Jennifer Davis

44 Letters

45 A View From Metro East
by Patrick E. Gauen
A freshman in the people's house

46 Politics
by Charles N. Wheeler III
An analysis of the judicial remap