It still seems that Probation Officers will not be funded up to FY 2009 levels.
earlier this year the General Assembly funded the Illinois Supreme Court's budget for operational expenses and grants at only 56 percent of the Court's request. Governor Quinn is using his lump sum appropriation authority to increase the Court's funding level to 82 percent of its fiscal year 2009 appropriation.
Click on the following for the rest of the story: The Dome - Press release: Quinn finds probation money
fellow Republican Jim Hursh is also becoming a candidate for the post. The former Boone County state’s attorney, 44, was defeated for re-election in the 2008 Republican primary by Michelle Courier, who was unopposed in the general election. In Boone County,
Click on the following for the rest of the story: Former state’s attorney enters judge race - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Is this also a problem with Boone County’s Budget? Was Boone County probation also halved by the state?
The new budget spends $486,529 more than it takes in, mainly due to the fact that the state recently halved the amount that it gives the county to help pay probation officers, county staff told the McHenry County Board Finance and Audit Committee on Tuesday.
the county couldn’t make up the amount it lost in probation officer funding. The state’s decision cut the county’s funding from $900,000 to about $388,000.
Gov. Pat Quinn promised to restore about $16 million statewide, following concerns that the cuts would threaten public safety. Sarbaugh said the county still is waiting to hear how much of the county’s funding will be restored, if any.
Click on the following for the rest of the story: Northwest Herald | Probation funding cuts sting county budget
The "pavement failure" occurred Wednesday on the Kennedy Expressway, leaving just one of the three northbound lanes open, and causing backups on the northbound Dan Ryan Expressway.
Northwest Herald | IDOT tells drivers to avoid downtown expressways
On October 2, I posted a Rockford Register Star article regarding attorneys for Chrysler offering to paid 2008 taxes but refusing to pay penalties. See: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/10/chrysler-balks-at-paying-overdue.html
The question remains, what are the local taxing bodies going to do?—Nothing? Could each of the district’s waive the penalty? Do each of the taxing districts need statutory relief so the late fees can be waived? Should we contact our state legislators for a change in the law. More than a mere legal opinion, the taxpayers needs some action-- a strategy for relief. The final settlement to this bankruptcy could be months or years away.
Below is the county treasurer’s notice to the taxing districts and Chrysler’s nearly $884,000 tax bill. Look at the tax bill: our school district cannot afford $448,000 not being paid, Belvidere needs the $115,000 and the county its $85,000.
Click on the photocopy to enlarge:
Interesting article regarding Candlewick becoming part of a “city”.
Currently, the subdivision of about 1,800 homes and approximately 5,900 residents, is an unincorporated homeowner’s association. Because of that, they are unable to collect Motor Fuel Tax and other "pass through" revenues from the state -- instead, they go directly to Boone County.
The reasons why incorporation (or annexation into an already incorporated municipality) became a priority was because it offered three things they thought would benefit the residents: (1) a reduction the water and sewer rates because municipal status would make it easier and more cost effective to purchase the water/sewer system; (2) increase public safety because if they were a municipal body, they could sign a formal patrol agreement or establish their own police department; and (3) allow local officials to govern the residents in a way that is more responsive to the citizens, as opposed to having to go to the broader county for governance matters
the Caledonia Village Board, acting as a Committee of the Whole, voted earlier this month to recommend to the full board that they discontinue discussions on annexation with Candlewick Lake. They are expected to take final action on that item at their full board meeting on Oct. 27.
Folster said he had not heard information from the Village of Poplar Grove and the group is working with the Village of Timberlane.
to incorporate by itself, but that would be difficult to do since the subdivision is a gated community. As a gated community, there is no public road and the complicated rules for incorporation spell out that a group needs a public road to become a city, town or village.
Click on the following for all the details: The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Candlewick Lake Political Action Committee updates residents on annexation activity
The district includes Genoa, Kingston and Kirkland in DeKalb County, as well as portions of Boone and Winnebago counties.
See what DeKalb’s paper says about the race
Three Republicans and a Democrat say they are interested in filling the seat and plan to be on the Feb. 2, 2010, primary ballot. The district includes Genoa, Kingston and Kirkland in DeKalb County, as well as portions of Boone and Winnebago counties.
Ray Pendzinski, a Democrat from Belvidere, said he is seeking the seat. Pendzinski, 45, has been an alderman for Belvidere for three years. Pendzinski, an electrician, said he believes Wait has not focused on the Belvidere area, and that the Republicans are not focused on middle- and low-income families.
On the Republican side, Michele Corirossi, Thadd Loffelmacher and Joe Sosnowski, all of Rockford, say they intend to seek their party's nomination.
Corirossi, 48 and a graduate of the NIU Law School, said she would draw on her experience helping with other campaigns – including her husband's, 17th Circuit Judge Ron White – as she embarked on her own
Loffelmacher, 39, has worked for other politicians and currently is the legislative aide for Wait. He said he would focus on reigning in state spending through a multi-year fiscal plan that would lay out spending priorities for the next four to six years.
Sosnowski, 32, is a graduate of Northern Illinois University who also served on the DeKalb City Council from 1999 to 2003, he said. He won a second term to the Rockford City Council last election. His background is in property management and real estate, and he currently works at Rockford Christian Schools doing fund-raising and facility planning work.
Read more by clicking on the following: Seat now up for grabs in 69th District | Daily Chronicle
Last night I expressed my concerns regarding adequate protection for the county. I asked the finance committee what changes in number of patrols or some other measure of police activity would occur at the Sheriff’s Department because of the 2010 budget restraints. It seems that no measure of activity other than dollars and number of officers would be disclosed. I was told to talk to the Sheriff. The Sheriff was at the meeting but he did volunteer any information.
This newspaper piece is written in regard to Monday’s Public Safety subcommittee meeting.
Wirth told County Administrator Ken Terrinoni he wouldn’t have a choice but to eliminate the program as there isn’t anything else he could cut.
“This is something I’ve never been faced with before, and it’s frustrating,” he said. “Other administrators would say the same thing. We’re all trying to cooperate and do the right thing. I would like (the County Board) to use a little of the reserve money to help us. I think it’s sad we don’t give our nonunion employees raises“We were told last week that there was some talk in the Sheriff’s Department about eliminating the program. It was never the board,” County Board member Cathy Ward said. “None of the board members have ever said to cut that particular program. We were told he wanted to cut it to give his lieutenants raises. It’s an important part of our community, and I hope it is not discontinued, but that’s up to the sheriff. ”
Click on the following for more details: Boone sheriff’s next cut would be K9 unit - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
