Health insurance in Chicago area to go up 10 percent

The average cost employees will pay for insurance premiums will go from $1,922 to $2,116, and their average out-of-pocket costs, including co-payments and co-insurance, will go from $1,806 to $1,977, according to Lincolnshire-based Hewitt Associates' annual study.

Workers in the Chicago area should prepare to contribute 10 percent more for health insurance premiums next year and pay more than 9 percent in additional out-of-pocket costs

Click on he following for more details:  Health insurance in area to go up 10 percent: study :: The Courier News :: Business

Cook County Board planning to kill state's $31 billion capital improvement program by banning video gaming

Lobbyists for the Illinois casino industry are hard at work pressing the pavement to pass a bill in the Cook County Board that will undermine Gov. Pat Quinn's $31 billion statewide capital improvement program by banning video gaming in the county.

Every dollar spent on video gaming would be lost to the casinos in Illinois who are already hard hit by the bad economy

Click on the following for more of Mr. Hanania’s view:  Beacon News :: ::

MP3 recording of Mr. Hanania’s interview (WJJG AM 1530) with Michael Del Galdo, a municipal law specialist, on the subject  is available at:  http://www.radiochicagoland.com/

Kane delays decision on video gaming

Members of Video Gaming Task Force voted Wednesday to table action and meet within 30 days

Some local municipalities already have instituted bans, including Elburn and DuPage County.

Kane delays decision on video gaming :: Beacon News :: Local News

Belvidere hears sobering financial projections

For anyone interested in more details of the Mayor’s financial projections, Brereton had his approximately 20-minute presentation taped, and it will be put on the city’s Web site at www.ci.belivdere.il.us.

The slide shows the wheels coming off completely in FY11 where the fund balance actually goes negative to -$100,000 at a time when the minimum balance should be about $3.5 million.

main reason for the fund balance decline: loss of revenue and, he said, "This trend is not unique to Belvidere."

using more than $1 million from the Utility Tax fund to help pay for Street Department personnel as well Police and Fire.

Click on the following for the complete story:  The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Belvidere hears sobering financial projections