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Contents                     June 1993

Illinois
Issues




Vol. XIX    No. 6
Established 1975


Columns

Politics
Sound-bite politics push aside sound fiscal policy
Charles N. Wheeler III ______ 6

The state of the State
Stripping down the property tax's incomprehensible 'system'

Caroline A. Gherardini —————— 8

Guest Column
Cicero's Latinos not so different after all
Rob Paral _____________ 10

Chicago
British subtlety meets Chicago politics
Paul M. Green __________ 42




Departments

Letters _________________ 9

Esprit de Pol
Zap! Splat! Burris gets big pickle   ___________ 11

Legislative Action
The other caps: trial lawyers vs. doctors on tort reform
Jennifer Halperin __________ 33

Judicial Rulings
F. Mark Siebert __________ 34

Names
James Pollock ___________ 35

Book Reviews
Recovering Illinois' French heritage

Peggy Boyer Long _________ 36

State Reports
Anna J. Merritt ___________ 38

State Stix
Behind bars in Illinois

Donald Sevener __________ 39



Cover illustration: Jess McDonald, director of the Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, is shown here in front of a house in Springfield that is one of the homes used under the department's "independent living arrangements" for clients receiving its services. Just how well is McDonald handling the department, especially its mental health services? See Jennifer Halperin's article, beginning on page 12. The photograph is by Terry Farmer/Showcase Photography.





June 1993/Illinois Issues/5


Published by Sangamon State University/
cosponsored by the University of Illinois

Readers:
Well, did they or didn't they? As we were going to press, the verdict was still out on whether the legislature would meet its new deadline of adjourning by the end of May, one month earlier than usual. Veterans of the legislative process have been skeptical, with plenty of scoffing, doubting and head shaking.

Perhaps the calendar watching has deflected too much attention from more important matters this spring. A few months and a year from now, it won't matter when this legislative session ended. What will count is how the lawmakers and the governor handled tax issues, education, and so on.

So in this issue, we want to help keep you focused on critical issues facing the state. Our Statehouse bureau chief, Jennifer Halperin, probes the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and discusses with director Jess McDonald whether anybody really knows the best way to treat mentally ill patients. Are the patients better off now that most of the large old mental institutions have closed? Is the state better off? In her article, Halperin explores these questions that are constantly being asked around the state.

Before the 1994 campaign season kicks off in earnest, we thought it would be beneficial to take a good look at Roland Burris. There will be plenty of time in the months to come to listen to the campaign rhetoric from those lining up to run for the state's constitutional offices next year. So today's feature on Burris, a likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate, focuses on his record and issues inherent in the attorney general's office.

A final note: If you haven't yet ordered your completely updated 1993 Roster of State Government Officials, a wonderful directory of addresses and phone numbers of the state's constitutional officers, legislators and agencies and their staffs, you will want one. And if you haven't sent Illinois Issues a donation this year, please consider doing so. Our goal is $30,000 (a significant portion of our budget), and we need your support, just as public radio and television do. Thanks in advance for whatever you can give. Ads explaining how to buy a Roster and how to make a donation are inside this issue.

Ed Wojcicki
Signature

June 1993/Illinois Issues/3


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