Dem heavies, election dates, contract reform

Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton -- all Chicago Democrats -- spoke this morning at an IBEW meeting in Springfield. They touted why Democrats are better for the state, said Republican governor nominee Bill Brady's budget cutting ideas would be bad and reminded the union faithful of the jobs that'll come their way thanks to the $31 billion construction spending program approved last year.
Quinn backed off of his previous suggestion that lawmakers skip their upcoming break and stay in Springfield to work on his budget plan.
"I don't think that's going to be necessary," Quinn told Daily Herald reporter Tim Magaw and others covering the meeting.

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Gov. Pat Quinn this afternoon will sign a state law that moves future primary elections back into March, ending Illinois' February primary experiment. No, it's not effective immediately.

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State Sen. Dan Kotowski, a Park Ridge Democrat, stopped by the Daily Herald's Capitol bureau to talk about his ideas on reforming state contracts. He's introduced legislation that would force all contracts over $250,000 that were not competitively bid to be competitively bid once they expire. They could not be renewed or extended. His plan could get a committee vote today.