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Contents                     October 1993

Illinois
Issues




Vol. XIX    No. 10
Established 1975

Government Altruism

Government
by altruism
James Pollock

25


Columns


Politics
School funding realities need to replace perceptions
Charles N. Wheeler III ______ 6

The state of the State
Is financing schools — in Chicago and elsewhere — a sham or a showdown?
Jennifer Halperin_________ 8

Guest Column
Reinvestment in railroads critical to rural Illinois
Joe Schwieterman _________ 10

Chicago
Leadership is the key, not 'Reinventing Government'
Paul M. Green___________ 34



Departments

Letters _________________ 9

State Reports
Anna J. Merritt ___________ 11

Legislative Action
Fall is as likely as spring for resurrection of issues
Jennifer Halperin __________ 27

Judicial Rulings
F. Mark Siebert __________ 28

Names
James Pollock ___________ 29

Book Reviews
Illinois rich in lobbyists and voting history
David H. Everson__________ 30

State Stix
Highways to heaven

Donald Sevener __________ 33

Esprit de Pol
What next on schoolroom politics, funding? _______ back cover





Cover illustration: Pictured on the football field early in the season is East St. Louis High School coach Bob Shannon. He has led his team, the Flyers, to championships, but he is most proud of motivating those players to become leaders — to succeed on the field and in their education. In short, he's making a difference in one of Illinois' poorest cities. See the story, written by Statehouse Bureau Chief Jennifer Halperin, beginning on page 12. The photograph is by Russ Smith.


October 1993/Illinois Issues/5


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

Readers:
One thing the advertising world has taught us well is that perceptions are often more important than reality. Create an image, and that image might very well overshadow whatever nuances or facts ought to cast aspersions about the image.

Consider East St. Louis, a city that most commonly conjures up images of crime, drugs, deteriorating housing and considerable poverty. East St. Louis is indeed a troubled city, but that does not mean it is absent of any redeeming social value. Consider football coach Bob Shannon, who has been so successful at East St. Louis High School that his leadership transcends what he accomplishes on the football field. That is why we made Coach Shannon our cover story this month.

Shannon, the subject of a new book by Kevin Horrigan, is in great demand. So it was no problem — it was a pleasant diversion — for our Statehouse bureau chief, Jennifer Halperin, to trek to East St. Louis and interview Shannon literally on his home turf. I believe you'll appreciate her efforts and maybe end up with a more enriched view of East St. Louis.

The theme of "reinventing government" emerged in big headlines in September. The Clinton administration used the phrase vigorously September 7 in a massive report that declares the government is broken and needs to be fixed. Under Vice President Gore's direction, the report addresses hundreds of ways the federal government could become more efficient, less expensive and more responsive to its customers — namely, us.

On the state level, few people may recall that Gov. Edgar established a blue-ribbon task force two years ago and asked it to consider "radical change in the [state's] personnel code." The governor asked the Governor's Human Resources Advisory Council to consider better ways to attract and retain qualified workers and to improve the image of government service. You might say he asked for a reinvention of the state's personnel code. A huge assignment, indeed. The council wrapped up its work in mid-September and sent a report to the governor. We'll have more on this in upcoming issues.

Meanwhile, efforts are already brewing to introduce the principles of Total Quality Management to state and local government. An article in this issue describes the early successes of TQM in the public sector in Illinois.

Ed Wojciki

Signature

October 1993/Illinois Issues/3


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