DeKalb County Finance committee sends FY2011 budget to county board

Boone County’s Finance Committee is two months from sending the budget to the county board. 

property taxes for the average homeowner will increase by 2.4 percent. Property tax levies were reduced by 5 percent, but the reduction goes to the general fund

bad news translates into is layoffs or downsizing,” Hanson said. For the 2011 budget, county departments were asked to cut expenses by 5 percent of the past year’s budget.

 

sheriff’s office will lose two patrol deputies, one detective and one communications officer

state’s attorney’s office asked for a 2.5 percent reduction instead of 5 percent

Several other departments will cut hours or transfer employees to other cost centers.

 

Bockman proposed cutting the number of county board and committee meetings to save money. The number of monthly meetings each year would be reduced from 12 to 10.

Click on the following for more details:  Finance committee sends FY2011 budget to county board | Daily Chronicle

Woman exonerated after arrest sues over Lake Co.'s DUI crackdown

Take a look at the comments—all 72+ of them.

found not guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol in 2008 has filed a class-action lawsuit challenging Lake County's "no-refusal weekend" program.

allow police to obtain search warrants for suspected drunken drivers who refuse to take a breath test. Prosecutors and judges are on call to issue a search warrant requesting the tests be done under penalty of contempt of court if the suspect continues to refuse.

This is the first lawsuit filed against the constitutionality of "no-refusal" in Lake County. The same program has been challenged twice in Kane County, but both were dismissed.

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | Woman exonerated after arrest sues over Lake Co.'s DUI crackdown

Tradition ends: No Michigan state fair this year - Yahoo! News

The Michigan State Fair had been a state tradition for 160 years and held at Eight Mile and Woodward, within Detroit city limits, since 1905. But the fair had been running deficits and needed $360,000 from the state in 2008 to cover losses. Fewer than 220,000 people passed through last year. At its peak in 1966, the fair drew 1 million

Click on the following for more details:  Tradition ends: No Michigan state fair this year - Yahoo! News

Cary employees still on payroll

Continuation of the earlier story:  Cary Park District officials resign following 'obscene conduct' citation http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=402384

According to their resignation agreements, both will be paid through Oct. 31 unless they find work before that.

Also, both will receive all of their accrued vacation and sick time, and will be eligible for health insurance through the end of the year.

Also, both can file unemployment claims after Oct. 31 if they haven’t found work yet.

On top of that, Cherveny received a $28,905 incentive for service time, which was part of his contract. As of May 1, Cherveny’s salary was $114,198 and Mayer’s salary was $67,333.

In each agreement, both agreed not to sue the park district.

Northwest Herald | Cary employees still on payroll

Proposal wipes out Winnebago County's projected shortfall

proposed county property tax rate would also increase to 84 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, resulting in a $280 bill for the owner of a $100,000 home, assuming no tax exemptions. If that rate holds true, it will mark the first time since 1992 that the county’s tax rate was higher than 80 cents. In 1991, the county tax rate was 91.6 cents.

Click on the following for more details:  Proposal wipes out Winnebago County's projected shortfall - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star