DDC-3-7-2013

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Se 79 Serving DeKalb County since 1879

TThursday, y, March 7, 2013

MOvie RevieW • A&e, C2

JACOBSON COLUMN • SPORTS, B1

‘Oz’ prequel visually appealing, but loses heart

Compher put NIU in a better position James Franco

Local legislators react to Quinn’s budget proposal

Jeff Compher

Feds swoop in

By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com Gov. Pat Quinn challenged lawmakers Wednesday to pass comprehensive pension reform immediately, but at least two local legislators doubt that would solve the state’s budget squeeze. The state is facing a $97 billion unfunded pension liability, which Quinn said grows $17 million a day. But pension reform isn’t a magic bullet, said state Rep. Robert Pritchard, R-Hinckley. “That liability doesn’t go away the instant we pass something,” Pritchard said. In his annual budget address, Quinn proposed slashing school funding – both K-12 schools and universities – by $400 million. Quinn said the Legislature’s inability to tackle pension reform is squeezing other services; at least $800 million in new revenue will be eaten by rising pension payments, the governor projected. In his speech to the General Assembly, Quinn put the responsibility for pension reform on lawmakers. “If I could issue an executive order to resolve the pension crisis, I would. And I would have done it a long time ago,” Quinn said. “But democracy requires action by the executive branch and the legislative branch. It’s time for you to legislate.” However, state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said there are a number of things Quinn can do to push for pension reform, such as continually calling for special sessions until a solution is worked out.

Photos by Kyle Bursaw – kbursaw@shawmedia.com

FBI and Illinois State Police searched the Northern Illinois University police station Wednesday in DeKalb.

FBI, state police search NIU police station; no arrests made By JILLIAN DUCHNOWSKI

See QUINN, page A3

More online

jduchnowski@shawmedia.com

and JEFF ENGELHARDT

To see a photo gallery of the NIU search, visit Daily-Chronicle. com

jengelhardt@shawmedia.com

“If I could issue an executive order to resolve the pension crisis, I would. And I would have done it a long time ago. But democracy requires action by the executive branch and the legislative branch. It’s time for you to legislate.” Pat Quinn Governer in his budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly

DeKALB – State and federal law enforcement officials offered few details Wednesday about why they spent the day searching Northern Illinois University’s police station. FBI agents, joined by officials from the U.S. Education Department’s Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General, arrived about 8 a.m. and worked throughout the day. The inspectors general at federal agencies typically investigate fraud or waste of agency funds or in agency programs. FBI Chicago media coordinator Joan Hyde declined to comment on the search

A member of the FBI walks past NIU police vehicles. The FBI and Illinois State Police served documents related to the search at the police station at NIU. or the underlying investigation. Hyde said the FBI typically does not announce searches, but decided to issue a news release about this one around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday to avoid passersby noticing the police presence and worrying about a large emergency. “No arrests have been

made nor charges filed with respect to the investigation,” the release said. “Due to the ongoing nature of the matter, no additional information is available at this time.” The searches follow several controversies to hit campus this year, some of which have involved the police

department. Two NIU administrators, Robert Albanese and John Gordon, reportedly were under investigation for appropriating university property for their personal use when they quit in July. An employee filed a grievance complaining of being assigned to clean Gordon’s home while working for the university. Albanese was the former associate vice president of the Division of Finance, Facilities and Operations, and Gordon is the former director of the Convocation Center.

See NIU SEARCH, page A4

Obama extends overtures to GOP lawmakers By JULIE PACE The Associated Press WASHINGTON – Shifting course in the face of political gridlock, President Barack Obama is making rare overtures to rank-and-file Republicans, inviting GOP senators to dinner Wednesday, planning visits to Capitol Hill and working the phones with lawmakers. Obama’s efforts are aimed at jump-starting budget talks and rallying support for his proposals on immigration and gun control. The president’s new charm offensive underscores the limitations

of his earlier attempts to use public pressure, rather than direct engagement, to win Republican cooperation. That strategy proved futile in recent weeks, as the White House and Congress failed to prevent $85 billion in automatic budget cuts that both sides said they wanted to avoid. As that “sequester” has started taking effect, Obama has begun quietly calling congressional Republicans to discuss the prospects for an elusive longer-term deficit reduction deal as well as his other secondterm priorities. Aides say Obama is concentrating his outreach on lawmakers with a history of bipartisan

deal-making and those who have indicated some willingness to support increased tax revenue as part of a big deficit-cutting package. In both his calls and dinner invitations, the president pointedly has skipped over Sen. Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner, the GOP leaders who insist that Obama will get no further tax hikes from Capitol Hill. Republicanshavehadmixedreactions to the outreach from the president, who previously has shown little appetite for personal engagement with lawmakers, often preferring to assign those efforts to his staff and

Vice President Joe Biden. “He’s never spent anytime reaching out,” said Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, who spoke with the president this week about gun legislation. “The question is, is it starting to change because there is bad poll numbers or is it because he really decided he’s going to lead and solve some of the problems of the country?” Sen. Lindsey Graham, a frequent critic of the White House on national security issues, said he was encouraged by Obama’s efforts.

See BUDGET BATTLE, page A4

AP file photo

President Barack Obama speaks in the East Room of the White House on Monday in Washington. Enveloped by political gridlock, Obama is reaching out to rank-and-file Republicans, hosting GOP senators for dinner at the White House on Wednesday night and then visiting Capitol Hill next week for separate meetings with Senate and House Republicans.

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Inside today’s Daily Chronicle Lottery Local news Obituaries

CCT presents...

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National and world news Opinions Sports

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Advice Comics Classified

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- The Ugly Duckling A musical comedy about one bird’s journey from odd duck to awesome swan!

March 8, 9, 15 & 16 at 7 p.m.; March 10 & 17 at 2 p.m. • O’Connell Theater, NIU Campus For tickets and info call 815-757-1874 or visit CCTOnstage.com

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