Friday, June 11, 2010

Boone County District One’s “Independent” Candidate.

The following is taken from the Boone County Journal’s June 11, 2010, Letter to the Editor.  The grammar and exact words of the letter are posted.

Dear Editor,

I am Brad Stark and I am running as an Independent for
Boone County Board District 1. Why am I running as an
Independent? The main reason is that I believe that both
major political parties in this county have stopped listening
to the people they represent and have chosen to focus on
their parties power instead. This type of governing does
not serve the people at all. We are seeing record levels of
deficit spending because the people in power do not want to
upset their campaign donors, or make a decision that may
upset someone. This type of leadership is starting to catch
up to those in power. All of the people I have talked to so
far as I gather signatures to get on the ballot have the same
complaint, why can’t the government live within it’s own
means like we have to? That is a good question. Most
of these same people have been experiencing hard times of
one kind or another since 2007. That is when people started
losing jobs, working less hours, or took a lower paying
job to stay a float. The problem for the government is that
these lower revenues are just starting to catch up to them
now. What do they care, they think they can raise our taxes,
make mandates that rule over our daily lives, and at the
local level, lay off the people at the bottom, while keeping
department heads and elected officials pay scale the same or
with a smaller % of increase. How is this any different than
what has happened on Wall St? When Wall St. executives
pull in big salaries and bonuses, the government wants to
demonize them, but when the government does it, it’s fine.
Government officials and the people that work for them
should have had their wages froze at least 2 years ago so
that we wouldn’t be in the position we are in today. The
people of this country are ready to except the new “normal”
of our economy, when will our government except it. I
do not believe they will except it because we keep putting
the power into the hands of our 2 major political parties.
Our system is broken. The bloated government machine
is choking on itself and is heading for a collapse. I believe that Conservative values embracing fiscal responsibility
and limited government can pull us through these tough
times. Currently I am still in need of signatures so that
I can get on the ballot for the Fall General Election. As
an Independent I need at least 389 signatures, compared
to 33 for one party, 22 for another, and 4 for yet another.
If any of the things I have stated agree with you, and you
too are fed up with the current state of affairs, please look
me up. My Facebook group is “Brad Stark for Boone
County Board” or call me, my number is in the book.
Thank you
Brad Stark
Capron, IL

Click here for the original: http://boonecountyjournal.com/news/2010/Boone-County-News-06-11-10.pdf#page=4

Boone County Journal: County Deficit Reaches $434,000

Great article—It appears from the discussion that the sheriff is renting out the jail to other counties/government and the county does not even know if the jail is covering the additional costs of these prisoners.

County Deficit
Reaches
$434,000

 When it came time for Boone County’s 2010 financial
report for May, County Board Finance Committee Chairman
Karl Johnson (District 2) attempted some levity with, “Ken,
tell us the good news.”
Before he addressed the gravity of the situation, County
Administrator Ken Terrinoni answered “Let’s move on to
the next item. We’re still in a recession that affects your
critical revenues. I don’t see that turning around this fiscal
year. It’s virtually all your taxes, your income tax, your
replacement tax.” Terrinoni recited the litany of revenue
sources that remain depressed. “Your income tax is off the
most,” Terrinoni said.
Committee members asked for Terrinoni’s best estimate
for the current deficit and he replied, “$434,000 is the current
estimate.” He also said, “The transfer that was voted down
by the board is obviously not in the general fund anymore,”
Terrinoni said.
County board Representative Cathy Ward (District 2)
referred to last month’s county board vote denying the
transfer of Jail Bond Funds. Denial of that transfer served
to increase the deficit from almost $234,000 to the new
estimate of $434,000. “Ken if the board chooses can they
put that back in there?” asked Ward.
“I think it can be,” said Terrinoni. “You’d have to check
with the state’s attorney on procedural issues, if that falls
under your rules as a ‘procedural reconsideration.’”
Terrinoni continued by saying that there is another
$150,000 budgeted for transfer from the fund, the final
payment for Fiscal Year 2010. Terrinoni explained that the
county has been trying to decrease the amount of money
transferred in from the Jail Bond Fund for several years.
Addressing the concern of taxpayers and the people that
represent them, Terrinoni offered to come up with a written
plan to sunset the tax.
“I’d be more than willing to write up a proposal,” said
Terrinoni. “In fact, two years ago I did write up a proposal
that did exactly that [by 2018]; the proposal did that. Of
course this recession did change that to some degree.”
“I think [there is] something that gets lost in this
whole process of the money getting utilized,” said Johnson.
“The board at that time failed to realize...they’d need the
money to staff that jail at the same time. It was determined
by the then state’s attorney, that the money could be used to
staff the jail. Then we realized we needed to wean ourselves
off of that.”
County board Chairman Bob Walberg (District 1)
questioned the current capacity of the jail. “Is there another
section we could be operating that would support the jailers
and then we wouldn’t need this money?” asked Walberg.
“There is a section, but there weren’t people
(detainees) so we even ended up laying-off two people
(officers),” said Johnson.
“The issue was whether or not we should keep taking the
additional prisoners; if it was just a break even deal,” said
Ward, who served on the board at that time. “It wasn’t just
additional revenue, it was additional expense. It was passed
by just one vote. The pay for the personnel, even without

the step increases...” Ward said.

The idea of leasing jail space to other municipalities and the federal government has brought in additional revenue. Lt. John Hare, administrator of the county jail has shown marked increases in that revenue stream into the general fund.
At the previous night’s meeting of the county board Public Safety Committee, county board members recalled Hare’s financial report that indicated revenues were up.
“The revenues could not be called income, but just revenue, so we still don’t know where we are at when we are done covering expenses?” asked county Representative Paul Larson
(District 2). “We don’t actually know for sure if it’s a break even situation or not,” said Ward.
Terrinoni reminded the committee that he had offered to bring the numbers in for analysis.
“You’ll need that for your [Fiscal Year 2011] budget anyway,” said Terrinoni. “I don’t think
I am hearing anybody against having me write up a phase-out plan.”
Unanimous consent was offered and Terrinoni was asked to present two repayment
scenarios that included sunset of the Public Safety Sales Tax by 2014, or later by 2018.
“I am hesitant to mention this, but there has been some discussion to add on to the Public
Safety Building...to increase for needed space,” said Larson. “Once this is solved, will we
come back to this? It hasn’t been talked about in a while, but I think it is still needed.”
County Representative Kathy Hartwig (District 1) stated her views. “I would remind
the committee of the promised sunset. It was a previous board who promised this tax would sunset. It was promised the voters that it would sunset in 2018. I think we should ask the voters what they want us to do.”
“We were talking about an advisory referendum at a previous meeting,” said Terrinoni.
“I think it was a local resident who brought that up; Laura Guerin Hunt.”
County Representative Marshall Newhouse (District 1) expressed his own perspective
with, “Having gone to the community with a referendum and to try and do an end run we
would end up in the hot seat.
Ward offered that she understood why Larson brought up the issue. “But, the city is in
trouble for doing this,” said Ward. “We need to make sure what we are doing this in today’s
financial crisis. We have people coming in and crying because they can’t pay their taxes. I
have talked to people who want to know what could happen. I don’t think we’ve really seen
the worst of it yet. We need some type of what if scenario. Otherwise, people are going to lose their jobs and positions who don’t need to. We’ve done this before, what’s the “worst case scenario? Ken, can you write that up for us?”
“I’d be happy to do that, in fact, I’d like to do it at the front end of your process,” said
Terrinoni. “I could do the base line and then the possible worst case and work realistic
numbers on either and compare that with a possible appropriation estimate.”
Larson and Hartwig indicated that to sunset the tax earlier than later could save interest
on the debt. “I think that would affect what date we are going to put a sunset on that Public
Safety Sales Tax,” said Larson.

See the article for yourself at:  http://boonecountyjournal.com/news/2010/Boone-County-News-06-11-10.pdf#page=4

First the Spill, Then the Lawsuits - NYTimes.com

 

Lawyers across the nation have filed nearly 200 lawsuits so far related to the April 20 oil disaster, including death and injury claims for those aboard the rig, claims of damage and economic loss for people whose livelihoods are threatened by the slick, and shareholder suits over BP’s plunging stock. Cases have even been filed on behalf of the oil-coated fish and birds. Lawyers also plan to file a civil racketeering action alleging a corporate conspiracy with the Bush administration.

Click on the following for more details:  First the Spill, Then the Lawsuits - NYTimes.com

Jeb Bush fund-raising in Illinois for Bill Brady governor campaign - Lynn Sweet

 

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush hits Illinois on June 16 and 17 for three fund-raisers for GOP Illinois Governor nominee Bill Brady, the state senator.

funder in Bloomington on June 16; the next day he's the draw at a breakfast in Chicago's Loop and a lunch in Peoria.

Jeb Bush fund-raising in Illinois for Bill Brady governor campaign - Lynn Sweet

Clout St: Inside Republican governor candidate Bill Brady's business deals

Interesting story regarding Developer Bill Brady, now candidate for governor.

photo 400x600 bill smiling About

2003, the state legislature gave the local government authority to take land for sewers along Curtis Road east of Brady's property. A final vote to enact the law occurred Nov. 4, as Brady was securing options on the land he planned to develop. He voted for it.
Three years later, when the legislature re-authorized the sewer plans, well after Brady began acquiring the land, he again voted in favor of the measure. In 2007, Brady also voted for similar legislation allowing Champaign and other local governments to seize property to build their share of the interchange.

Click on the following for the rest of the story:  Clout St: Inside Republican governor candidate Bill Brady's business deals

State Comptroller grants county 60 more days for CPA audit

County annual reports must be filed with state no later than July 28, 2010.

 

Extension

Boone planners may help Poplar Grove - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Does this make sense?  Will both the county and Poplar Grove benefit?  The math:  8 hours X 50 weeks = 400 hours. $1,000 X 12 months = $12,000.  $ 12,000/400 hours = $30.00 per hour.   Will Poplar Grove actually pay this fee; it is behind in paying for special Sheriff’s patrols?

 

deal allows the Belvidere-Boone County Planning Department to give up to eight hours of weekly planning and zoning time to Poplar Grove at a monthly cost of $1,000 for one year.

Click on the following for more details:  Boone planners may help Poplar Grove - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star