The Blagojevich administration, not known for straight answers, is at it again. 

It seemed like a simple question — if the Illinois Department of Transportation’s division of traffic safety moves to Harrisburg as proposed, how many division employees will still be based in Springfield? 

But a couple of people who speak for the state gave what seemed to be less-than-complete answers Wednesday. 

I asked the question because U.S. Rep. JOHN SHIMKUS, R-Collinsville, who represents Harrisburg as well as part of Springfield in the U.S. House, told reporters the planned move of the jobs is “a shame.” 

In particular, Shimkus criticized part of the plan that, as originally described, would have left top managers of the division in Springfield, while moving the rank-and-file workers to southern Illinois. 

“If you believe in leadership by example, the leaders have to go,” Shimkus told reporters in Springfield. “You can’t have a double standard.” 

Shimkus was accurate in his portrayal of what the state had been saying. In a May 3 story in The State Journal-Register, then-IDOT spokesman BRIAN WILLIAMSEN was quoted as saying that MIKE STOUT, director of the division, would keep his position and stay in Springfield, manning “a small executive office” in the capital city. 

On Wednesday, however, the new IDOT spokeswoman, PARIS ERVIN, said, “The division of traffic safety employs approximately 140 full-time employees. All positions are moving to Harrisburg.” 

I asked if that included Stout and other managers. 

“Per our conversation earlier today ... all positions are scheduled to move to Harrisburg,” she said in an email. 

I also queried Williamsen, who was recently promoted to speak for the governor’s office. 

“All Division of Traffic Safety positions are scheduled to move to Harrisburg” is as close to the answer as he would come. 

I called Stout, who is paid $105,888 per year. He referred me to Ervin. 

So, has the administration changed its stand? Your guess is as good as mine. 

Shimkus, by the way, was at the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce to receive a Spirit of Enterprise award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Based on votes on issues highlighted by the chamber, more than 240 members of Congress are getting the award for the 2007 session. Shimkus scored 85 percent that year, but has a 90 percent rating with the chamber during his time in Congress. 

“To be pro-employee, you don’t have to be anti-business,” Shimkus said. 

Ballot objection update 

Some years are easier than others for no-name or minor candidates to get on the ballot in Illinois. In the presidential race, this is one of them. 

Forces for RALPH NADER, running as an independent this year, and the Libertarian Party, which filed joint petitions in the state for president, vice president and U.S. Senate, each collected about 50,000 signatures to make sure their petitions would contain the necessary 25,000 valid signatures if an objection was filed. 

Objectors, often backed by political parties, can have teams of people questioning thousands of signatures. The signatures then must be reviewed page by page or one by one, tying up candidate time and money and often getting candidates removed. Illinois has very high signature requirements for candidates not in established parties. 

But this year, no objections were filed to any independent or third-party presidential contenders by the deadline Monday. There could be several reasons for that: the major party organizations decided the race in Illinois won’t be close enough to worry about; the petitions of some of the candidates were too good to challenge; or the parties succumbed to a wave of love and decided anyone who wants to run should be able to get on the ballot with no hassle. 

OK, that last one’s probably not it. 

Still, even a Chicago taxi driver, JOHN JOSEPH POLACHEK, who submitted petitions containing not a single signature, will be on the Illinois ballot for president. It takes an objection to remove a candidate in Illinois. 

Elsewhere on the ballot, Nader and running mate MATT GONZALEZ will be independents; CHARLES BALDWIN and running mate DARRELL CASTLE will be Constitution Party candidates; and, once a couple placeholders — including CHRIS BENNETT of Springfield — are replaced as planned, the Libertarian team will be former U.S. Rep. BOB BARR, R-Ga., for president and WAYNE ROOT for vice president. 

Democrats, Republicans and Greens, as established parties in Illinois this year, will be able to place their candidates on the November ballot later. 

However, not all candidates got through the objection process unscathed. BRADLEY CARTER of Peoria, who filed as a Constitution Party candidate for the U.S. House from the 18th Congressional District, is the subject of an objection. Carter has said he didn’t file enough signatures to survive a challenge, so he probably won’t be on the ballot Nov. 4. 

Palazzolo promoted 

Sangamon County Auditor PAUL PALAZZOLO is moving to the top of Kiwanis International. 

At the group’s convention in Orlando, Fla., last Friday, Palazzolo, 42, was elected international president-elect. He’ll take that office Oct. 1, and his one-year term as president starts Oct. 1, 2009. 

He is already vice president of the international organization, which has 600,000 adult and youth members in 15,000 clubs around the world. He’s been a trustee of the international group since 2004. 

Palazzolo is a member and past president of Kiwanis Club of Springfield-Downtown. Before joining that club in 1984, he was in the student Kiwanis group, Key Club, at the old Griffin High School. He served as Key Club district governor his senior year.
Needless to say, he believes in this stuff. He said the amount of time leading the group will be manageable. 

“Basically it involves motivating a team of other leaders throughout the world to help the local Kiwanis clubs in their area to provide the best possible community service, and fun, for their members,” he said. 

State hires Alka Nayyar 

ALKA NAYYAR, 33, of Lisle was hired this spring as a state spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. 

Nayyar, a Chicago native, speaks Hindi, French and Italian in addition to English. She worked in public relations for a Virginia software company, MicroStrategy, and also did marketing for her father’s structural engineering firm in Chicago, Nayyar & Nayyar International, said RIKEESHA PHELON, senior communications manager overseeing state agency spokespeople. 

Nayyar is being paid $76,500 annually. 

“She’s been in public relations since 1998, so we took into consideration her salary and experience,” Phelon said. 

Nayyar’s sister, ANJALI JULKA, 37, of Chicago, is spokeswoman for departments of Labor and Human Rights. She makes $69,408 annually. 

Towery joins Callahan team 

TERRY TOWERY, 50, of Peoria, has been brought on as press secretary for COLLEEN CALLAHAN, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House from the 18th Congressional District. 

“I’m a student of politics,” Towery said. “I love politics.” 

Towery spent 25 years with the Peoria Journal Star, including a decade as assistant city editor before he retired in January 2007. He’s done some consulting and public relations since and is working on a fiction book. 

His wife, JENNIFER, remains at the Journal Star as the Neighbors section editor. She’s also president of Peoria Newspaper Guild Local 86, representing reporters, sub-editors and some circulation personnel at the newspaper. Towery is also a former local president. 

“I believe in her,” Terry Towery said of Callahan. “I think she brings a excitement to the race that was needed.” 

Callahan, a Kickapoo resident, is running against Republican state Rep. AARON SCHOCK, Green Party candidate SHELDON SCHAFER, and for now, Bradley Carter of the Constitution Party. All three live in Peoria. The incumbent, U.S. Rep. RAY LaHOOD, R-Peoria, is not running for re-election.

Bernard Schoenburg is political columnist for The State Journal-Register. He can be reached at (217) 788-1540 or bernard.schoenburg@sj-r.com.