Below are our daily picks from the Illinois blogosphere and media at large:

Pink Slips And Pay Hikes
The Reader's Mick Dumke digs into the City of Chicago's payroll and learns that some top officials actually saw their salaries rise in the face of huge deficits.

Influencing State Government
A new study by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform found that local governments and public agencies spent more than $6 million to hire professional lobbyists last year, but the state's weak lobbying laws prevent the public from identifying how the money was spent.

Putting Bronzeville Front And Center
Tim Healy of the Chi-Town Daily News profiles Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward), who is working hard to ensure Bronzeville residents benefit from any Olympic development.

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