Hey Davsand!!! How did things go in your area?

[chiburb]

I was going to PM you, but I think there may be some DUers who don't know you or what you do for ALL of us in Illinois. So... how did it go?

:-)

[davsand]

1. Well, hubby lost BIG, but the rest went well.

Can't say I'm shocked he lost so badly--this district is SO very GOP. When we drew the maps we put a lot of the Repubs here--and we live in GOP conservatism central. He ran a good race and there is no shame in a loss when you have worked it as hard as he did. I'm sure we'll recover soon enough...

We held the County Board majority and managed to pick up the States Attorney's office. The GOP REALLY came after the Dems and it got extremely ugly with a lot of mud flying. I can't say I've ever seen a meaner spirited election than this one was. We also held the State Rep seat for Champaign. The Greens and the Socialist were pretty much non-factors.

Obama romped down here. (Gawd, I do love that man!) Illinois has got a LOT to be proud of if you think about it--We delivered it up for Kerry, and we sent Obama to join Dick Durbin in the Senate. Blag is still the Governor and we still dominate the State Senate and the State House. That ain't too shabby for a state that was dominated by the Repubs for so many years.

I'll be in Chicago later this month to speak to the Illinois Elected Officials' fall meeting about Hospital Property Tax Exemptions. I dunno if I'll be there overnight or just on a day trip--I'll keep you posted. (I about fell over when they invited me!) Lord knows, if I do a train trip I'll be sure and let you know--I'm gonna be up for a cocktail or two while waiting on that train!

The Provena hospital case will be going to appeal hearing in December. Since that hit, I've been gratified that the words "Charity Care" are actually becoming part of the national vocabulary. I think the enormity of it all hit when I was reading Time magazine and I saw a reference to that tax exemption case there. We sure had no idea it was gonna get this big when we worked on that case originally.

People are finally starting to realize that the local community can and should have some say in the local hospital policies if that hospital is tax exempt. For that, I am grateful. Maybe local government really DID do something to help the people, and maybe we can turn it around here in Illinois and set a national example.

On a funny note: One reporter called Champaign "Ground Zero" in the health care fight. Made me wonder if I was on the Enola Gay or if I was one of the guys from Fermi Labs...

I'd been wondering how you were doing. I've been in and out of DU for a couple of days here post election, and I'd not seen you around. Glad to know you are up and around, and how did you fare up your way?

Laura