DuPage County passes no-thrills 2010 budget

 

County will not increase its tax levy or make cuts to programs and services. County employees don't have to worry about layoffs or benefit reductions, but most also won't be receiving an annual pay raise. Some workers, such as sheriff deputies, may get a small bump under current employment contracts.

plan marks a 6.1 percent decrease in spending from last year, with most of the savings coming from commodities and contracts. The county's cash reserves will continue to grow to about $45.6 million - a financial safety net at its highest level in more than a decade.

Leaders also dedicated $1 million in spending for nonprofit agencies, such as to area food pantries. The commitment is similar to one made this year, which marked a 50 percent increase.

 

Daily Herald | DuPage County passes no-thrills 2010 budget

Germany restores 1936 women's high jump record to Jewish winner

Gretel Bergmann (married name: Margaret Lambert)…

was on the German Olympic team from 1934 to 1936 but had gone to England at the age of 19 in search of schooling. She won the 1934 British High Jump Championships and had hoped to compete for Britain. But the Nazis learned of her success.
She said they forced her to jump for Germany, threatening her family even though Lambert figured the Nazis would never let her partake in the Olympics. It was a political stunt meant to appease the Americans.

Click on the following for more details on the story:  Germany restores 1936 women's high jump record to Jewish winner -- chicagotribune.com

UPDATE: Did Boone County pass a Budget? Some members of the county board have some questions.

I just visited the Administrator’s Office at the County Building.  No special meeting for Monday, November 30, 2009 has been scheduled.   So it appears that Ms. Glass and Mr. Dini’s concerns have not necessitated a review by the county board.

For more details on the question regarding legality of the actions occurring at the board meeting on November 20—go to:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/11/was-budget-passed-or-not.html

Schaumburg Sales Tax Rollback Effort Presents 1,250+ Signatures to Village Board

Old news but it tells us so much about the tax situation and municipal expenditures. 

Schaumburg –At the October 27^th, 2009 Schaumburg Village Board meeting the Schaumburg Freedom Coalition will present to Mayor Al Larson and the Village Trustees over 1,250 signatures from local residents in support of reducing Schaumburg’s home rule sales taxes which contribute to a 12% total bar and restaurant tax—the highest tax of its kind in the United States—and its 10% retail tax, which is second only to the City of Chicago.

The advisory petition seeks to reduce Schaumburg’s home rule sales tax 1 percentage point, and the home rule food & beverage tax 2 percentage points, resulting in a 9% retail sales tax for both …..

“Salaries are getting out of control in the Village. A recent Freedom of Information Act Request by the Schaumburg Freedom Coalition revealed that the number of Village employees making over $100,000 per year (not including health & retirement benefits) has grown from 30 in 2005 to 110 in 2008. Initially, when I confronted the Mayor, Village Board Meeting not a single Village official was even aware of the dramatic increase.

Click on the following for more details on this story:  Schaumburg Sales Tax Rollback Effort Presents 1,250+ Signatures to Village Board

Developer wants help to spiff up Gateway ::

But Aktipis [developer] now says he is doesn't have enough money to complete the revitalization, and has asked the Village Board to authorize the establishment of a special service area, or SSA.

Set over a 20-year period, the SSA would allow the developer to borrow up to $2.6 million. The project is slated to be completed in spring 2010. The SSA property tax would be paid by the tenants, which Aktipis pledges to work with by possibly lowering rent to offset the inflated tax bills.

The request comes on the heels of a drastic reduction in sales tax revenue, West Dundee's primary revenue stream over the years. While the village has cut dependence on sales tax in recent years -- from 60 percent down to 30 percent of its annual operating revenue

Click on the following for more details:  Developer wants help to spiff up Gateway :: The Courier News :: Local News

Hampshire will require most businesses to get annual license

 

every for-profit business must register with the village and pay a $15 annual fee. That process must be repeated every calendar year.

Village Administrator Eric Palm said the law's main goal is to keep track of what businesses are operating and the home addresses and phone numbers of their officers so that, if an emergency arises, police, firefighters or public works employees will know whom to notify and who has a key to let them in. Palm said the process also will alert village officials if someone is planning to open a business in a place that is not zoned for that type of activity.

Click on the following for more details:  Hampshire will require most businesses to get annual license :: The Courier News :: Local News

More than 18 percent of Illinois mortgages are underwater

Almost 410,000 Illinois mortgages, or 18.4 percent of home loans, were underwater in September, meaning homeowners owed more on their mortgages than their homes were worth.

On a national level, the mortgages on nearly 10.7 million homes, or 23 percent of properties, were considered underwater in September. An additional 2.3 million mortgages were in a near-negative equity position.

five states that accounted for 42 percent of all negative equity loans. They were Nevada, where 65 percent of loans were underwater; Arizona, 48 percent; Florida, 45 percent; Michigan, 37 percent; and California, 35 percent.

Click on the following for more details:  More than 18 percent of Illinois mortgages are underwater -- chicagotribune.com

Investigation reveals Chicago airport security flaws

This just does not seem like it could be true? 

the past two months, Fox flew multiple employees – male, female, black, white, Muslim – to different destinations around the country on different airlines. The only requirement: They were not allowed to bring a photo ID. No passport. No driver's license.
On every occasion, these Fox employees were allowed through security without a hitch as long as they showed that the name on their boarding pass matched the name on a couple of credit cards, according to Fox Chicago News.

By checking credit cards rather than a photo ID, TSA simply was following its own rules, which vaguely state that passengers without an acceptable ID will have to provide "information" to verify their identity, according to Fox Chicago News. The guidelines also state that these passengers "may be subjected to additional screening."
Only twice did a Fox employee have to go through additional screening, according to the Fox investigation

Click on the following for more details:  Investigation reveals Chicago airport security flaws | Daily Chronicle

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