NYT: Obama accelerated cyberattacks against Iran - World news - The New York Times - msnbc.com

 

Mr. Obama decided to accelerate the attacks — begun in the Bush administration and code-named Olympic Games — even after an element of the program accidentally became public in the summer of 2010 because of a programming error that allowed it to escape Iran’s Natanz plant and sent it around the world on the Internet. Computer security experts who began studying the worm, which had been developed by the United States and Israel, gave it a name: Stuxnet

Click on the following to read the entire story: NYT: Obama accelerated cyberattacks against Iran - World news - The New York Times - msnbc.com

Belvidere School District to discuss possible sales tax increase - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

 

Bonds were issued seven years ago to help construct Belvidere North High School. The board made lower payments early on with the idea that more individuals would eventually move into the area and property values would increase.

However, neither occurred as planned, sticking the board higher bond payments with less people to pay for them.

By implementing the proposed sales tax, the estimated $2.2 million generated yearly could help increase revenue flow without increasing property taxes.

Read the entire story by clicking on the following:  Belvidere School District to discuss possible sales tax increase - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Belvidere residents could see substantial electric bill reductions | Belvidere Daily Republican

 

Residents will realize almost a 50 percent savings over what they are currently being supplied by ComEd,” Brereton continued about the bid information which was for a two year agreement.

Finance Director Chamberlin said moving forward, the city’s residents will get two letters, from one the supplier and one from ComEd which will explain how they can opt out of the aggregate program. Brereton said he couldn’t imagine who wouldn’t want to switch sand save nearly half on the energy portion of the bill, but the program requires an “opt out” feature for those who want to do so.

Chamberlin explained those who participate in the new program should start seeing the reductions in bills beginning in August. Alderman Michael Chamberlain added that the average resident would save about $300, considering average kilowatt usage.

Brereton reminded the council that the percentage reduction applies only to the energy portion of the bill and not maintenance and other costs.

Click on the following to read the rest of the story:  Belvidere residents could see substantial electric bill reductions | Belvidere Daily Republican

What’s this $176,000, anyway?

Written by Bob Balgemann

BELVIDERE – Boone County’s finance, taxation and salaries committee found itself with $176,000 on the books and no one being sure where it came from.

The revelation occurred at the May 8 meeting, near the end of an audit report on the 2011-12 fiscal year, which ended Nov. 30, 2011.

It was pointed out that the money was in the “collections account,” where property tax money is kept. “It’s on the books,” county
Treasurer Curt Newport said. “I don’t know why it’s there.”

He said he didn’t know where it came from, either, adding, “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t just leave it there. I have no plans to do anything with it.”

Committee member Laura Guerin-Hunt thought it probably was the result of “a lot of little mistakes and issues. There are a lot of different ways that it could get into that account.”

She said she thought the money should be divided among the various taxing districts. But that would bring up the question of “how to you determine who gets what?”

Sikich LLC representative Carla Paschal suggested an opinion be sought from State’s Attorney Michelle Courier, as to what should be done with the money.

Meanwhile, Newport said he would continue to report the money to the auditor on a yearly basis “until a judge or the state’s attorney tells me to do something with it.”

The above was taken from the Belvidere Republican’s on line version:  http://www.belvideredailyrepublican.net/news/news-briefs-road-work-means-demise-of-boone-county-family-restaurant/

Eagle’s Club building sold; YMCA weighing its options | Belvidere Daily Republican

Written by Bob Balgemann

new owners of the club called and said they had purchased the building. But she said there have been no further conversations.

“We’re in the middle of (developing) a strategic plan right now,” she said. “We’re looking to see how we can expand our programs.”

Belvidere Township attempted to buy the Eagle’s Club building last year, but the proposal was roundly rejected by the electorate at a special town meeting in October 2011.

Mark SandersonReply

May 16, 2012 at 9:05 pm

Reporter Balgemann would have had a real interesting story on the Eagle building being sold if he had done some investigative reporting and found that when Belvidere Township had offered to buy the building with ‘taxpayer’ money, they had offered much more than the building actually sold for.

Does anyone know what the building sold for? 

Click on the following for more details:  Eagle’s Club building sold; YMCA weighing its options | Belvidere Daily Republican

Northwest Herald | Marengo starts talks on video gaming

 

put it on this evening’s agenda for discussion because I’ve had quite a few people approach me about it,” Lockhart said. “It’s coming quick. The Illinois Gaming Board has said they felt [video gaming] would be up and running by August 1.”

The Marengo establishments that have applied to install the machines can’t do so unless the council votes to change an ordinance that prohibits video gambling.

The council will vote in two weeks on whether to allow video gaming at bars, restaurants and other liquor license holders.

 

Read he article by clicking on the following:  Northwest Herald | Marengo starts talks on video gaming

Boone County Real Estate Tax Bill Highlights

 

Tax year 2011, payable 2012

By Curtis P. Newport, Boone County Treasurer

Total real estate taxes billed for all districts in Boone County dropped about 0.76%, from $86,611,375 last year to $85,952,738 this year.

· The drop was largely due to a reduction in some bond levies from Belvidere School District 100. The total tax extension for School District 100 declined by $931,557.

· Other districts with significant decreases in their total extension include Rock Valley College (down $499,757), the City of Belvidere (down $185,658 including all TIFs and special service areas), the Village of Capron (down $92,865) and Belvidere Township (down $32,335 including the township road district).

· Other districts with reduced extensions include the Village of Poplar Grove, Hiawatha School District 426, the Boone County Historical Museum, Kishwaukee College, Bonus Township, the Spring Township Road District, Kinnikinnick School District 131 and Hononegah School District 207.

Lack of real estate development in the county continues to limit total property tax extensions under the tax cap law. Only $11,347,219 (less than 1% of the county’s total assessment) was assessed for the first time in 2011.

Total assessed value for the county dropped 9.3%, from $1,272,966,717 in 2010 to $1,154,154,597 in 2011. However, the changes vary greatly according to property class. Farm land assessments are up 7% while residential property is down 10.7%. This is the fourth consecutive year that farm land assessments have risen significantly, while other assessments have dropped for three straight years. Over time, this results in a shift in the tax burden. Homeowners are paying a lower percentage of the total county tax bill, while farm land owners are paying significantly more.

2011 was a quadrennial reassessment year, and the changes in residential property assessments vary significantly throughout the county. Because of market influences, some neighborhoods dropped as much as 20% while other neighborhoods barely changed.

Tax rates tend to change inversely with assessments. As property values drop, rates tend to increase. Overall, tax rates are higher this year because of the lower assessed values, but some taxing districts lowered their levies enough to result in lower tax rates.

Senior citizens who have had the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze for many years will likely see higher tax bills, since their taxable value remains frozen while the tax rates have increased.

Generally speaking, taxpayers whose assessment dropped 10% or more are likely to see lower tax bills this year, especially if that property is located in School District 100. Those whose assessments dropped 9% or less will likely see higher tax bills, especially if they live outside of School District 100. There are many factors that influence individual tax bills.