If Private Sector Is Hiring, Why Is Jobs Market So Bad? -

 

as fast as the private sector is creating jobs, the government is shedding them. And the cuts are far from over.

Despite all the gloom and doom about the US economy, the private sector actually created 620,000 jobs over the past seven months, far faster than in the previous two recessions.

Between 2009-2011, these governments are expected to slash 8.6 percent of their workers, according to a July outlook by three government associations.

"It's very likely they're going to continue to shed jobs well in 2011

Click on the following for more details:  If Private Sector Is Hiring, Why Is Jobs Market So Bad? - Yahoo! Finance

McLean County board to consider wind farm plan

BLOOMINGTON -- Officials in McLean County are considering a plan that could bring a more than 200-turbine wind farm to central Illinois

Click on the following for more details:  McLean County board to consider wind farm plan - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

Comptroller candidates call for searchable online database of state employee salaries

Miller, the Democratic candidate for state comptroller, has his way, you'll soon be able to easily access an online database for salaries of all state employees and elected officials through the Illinois comptroller's Web site.
Miller's opponent in the November election, Republican Judy Baar Topinka, has also advocated for making these taxpayer-funded salaries more transparent,

Comptroller candidates call for searchable online database of state employee salaries - chicagotribune.com

Searches for Real Estate Transactions and Building Permits

Just found this search tool available at the Rockford Register Star.

The Rockford Register Star collects the area's most complete set of building permits and real estate transactions for Winnebago, Boone and Ogle counties in Illinois. You can search back to Jan. 1, 2005, to find out how much your neighbor's house sold for, what vacant land in Loves Park is worth or who bought a high-profile business.
The Register Star gives you the most up-to-date records available. Because many municipalities release transactions and permits days or even weeks after they occurred, some lag time will be reflected in the database.

Real Estate

Search real estate transactions
Use any combination of the boxes below to narrow down your search. You can also just click submit to get all records in our database.

Address:

City:

County:

Price: All Ranges 0-24,999 25,000 - 49,999 50,000 - 99,0000 100,000 - 149,999 150,000 - 199,999 200,000 - 299,999 300,000-399,999 400,000 and up

Seller:

Buyer:

Type:

Date Range: 7 Days 30 Days 6 Months 1 Year All Records

Click to export last 30 days to Excel

Building Permits

Search building permit transactions
Use any combination of the boxes below to narrow down your search. You can also just click submit to get all records in our database.

Building Dept.:

Address:

City or County:

Valuation: All Ranges 0-999 1000 - 1999 2000-2999 10000-24999 25000 and up

Owner:

Date Range: 7 Days 30 Days 6 Months 1 Year All Records

Click to export last 30 days to Excel

Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Judges Reject Interrogation Evidence in Gitmo Cases - ProPublica

The government has lost eight of 15 cases [3] in which Guantánamo inmates have said they or witnesses against them were forcibly interrogated, according to ProPublica's review of 31 published decisions that resolve lawsuits filed by 52 captives who said they've been wrongfully detained [4]. Because some of the judges' opinions are heavily redacted, it's impossible to be sure there aren't more cases in which the government offered interrogation evidence collected under questionable

Obama administration has already said that at least 48 of the remaining 176 prisoners at Guantánamo will be held indefinitely because they're too dangerous to release but can't be prosecuted successfully in military or civilian court. They've said that coercion-tainted evidence is one obstacle.

Click on the following for more details:  Judges Reject Interrogation Evidence in Gitmo Cases - ProPublica

News Analysis - Rates Fall as Market Fears Economic Weakness

for now, the financial markets seem to fear recession and deflation much more than they fear deficit spending.

Click on the following for more details:  News Analysis - Rates Fall as Market Fears Economic Weakness - NYTimes.com

Winnebago County Board: Tax break approved for company that won’t reveal identity

Will there be even more “mystery companies” across the Winnebago/Boone County Area.  Do citizens have any rights in the process when their representatives refuse to demand details such as the name of the applicant?

Winnebago County Board voted unanimously to approve a 10-year property tax abatement to a confidential company known only to officials as “Project Eagle.”…$6.25 million, 125,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facilities

the county has tentatively agreed to a similar abatement for another undisclosed company known only as “Project Phoenix,” which is to reveal its identity prior to a final vote, Bob Hastings (D-13) noted this was the first time board members were being asked to formalize an abatement before a firm’s identity was made known. Chairman Scott Christiansen (R) granted Democrats a 10-minute caucus to discuss the pending vote.

With the possibility of a layover for more information now exhausted, and after more than 30 minutes of discussion on the floor, board members voted unanimously to approve the resolution. Aurand said his “yes” vote was based on trust in Ekberg, while Gorski indicated his “yes” was cast so he’d be on the prevailing side, thus giving him the ability to move for reconsideration at a later date.

Click on the following for more details:  County Board: Tax break approved for company that won’t reveal identity | The Rock River Times