Comptroller hasn't received financial reports from Galva, Sherrard for years - Quad Cities Online

Both communities are near the Quad Cities(Rock Island County), one in Henry County the other in Mercer County. Do you think something is wrong here?  

Illinois governments are required to file annual financial reports with the state comptroller's office, but Sherrard and Galva have failed to file for years.
Both governments should have filed 2009 reports 180 days after their fiscal years ended April 30.

Criminal issues were unveiled in Sherrard, where years of delinquency notices finally led to an audit that revealed former village clerk Marilyn Davis had embezzled at lest $282,000 over six years from the village.

Mr. Dyer[City Manager of Galva] said Galva, 45 miles southeast of the Quad Cities, has a staff of 13 full-time employees to serve 2,758 residents.
Mr. Dyer said the city hired Blucker, Kneer & Associates in 2006 for the 2005 audit which took three and a half to four years to complete. The firm is now working on the 2006 report and Mr. Dyer said he expects the process to move much more quickly now that records are electronic.

 

Click on the following for more details:  Comptroller hasn't received financial reports from Galva, Sherrard for years - Quad Cities Online

Senate Prez Cullerton backs limited cuts in state worker pensions Crain's Chicago Business

 

Senate President John Cullerton said he is "interested in exploring" an older retirement age and a cap on the maximum retirement benefit.
  But those are potentially "the only changes" he's prepared to support, Mr. Cullerton added, because, "compared to other states, benefits in Illinois are not overly generous."

Click on the following for more details:   Senate Prez Cullerton backs limited cuts in state worker pensions | Greg Hinz | Crain's Chicago Business

Alexi Giannoulias: Broadway Bank troubles hurt Alexi Giannoulias’ Senate campaign - chicagotribune.com

 Broadway's chief executive, Demetris Giannoulias, Alexi Giannoulias' older brother, told the Tribune the family must raise at least $85 million by the end of April to stave off government seizure.
Demetris Giannoulias said he doesn't expect the government to drag its feet on shutting the bank if capital-raising efforts come up short.

From 2004 through 2006, Broadway was one of the country's most profitable community banks….Broadway relied almost strictly on real estate deals to make money….During 2007 and 2008, Broadway paid the family about $70 million in dividends. Is the family in a position to bail the bank out?

Click on the following for more details:   Alexi Giannoulias: Broadway Bank troubles hurt Alexi Giannoulias’ Senate campaign - chicagotribune.com

Illinois Issues blog: Senate approves moving primary date back

 

Illinois Senate today approved a measure that would move the primary election date from the first Tuesday in February to the third Tuesday in March.

Carlinville Democrat Sen. Deanna Demuzio, the sponsor of SB 355,

Click on the following for more details:  Illinois Issues blog: Senate approves moving primary date back

Petition: Send $45M plan to voters | Daily Chronicle

Citizens fight against a backdoor referendum in DeKalb County. 

On Feb. 17, the county board passed 22-1 an ordinance that allows the county to issue $45 million in bonds to finance expansions of the courthouse and jail.

residents have 30 days to file a petition asking that the issuance of the bonds be submitted to referendum.
Sycamore resident Josh Boies is coordinating such a petition effort and said he just wants voters to be given the chance to weigh in on the county’s proposal.
The petition needs 4,201 signatures to be valid, according to DeKalb County Clerk Sharon Holmes.

Petition: Send $45M plan to voters | Daily Chronicle

Fines loom for unfinished Algonquin condo project

ALGONQUIN -- Village officials plan to levy fines up to $50,000 against Rockford-based Amcore Bank for building code violations at the unfinished condo project it owns at Routes 31 and 62.

the village plans to levy per-day fines ranging from $25 to $1,000 for each violation, with a $50,000 overall maximum. The individual fine amounts will be determined at a March 31 adjudication hearing and will be backdated to Jan. 27

Click on the following for more details:  Fines loom for unfinished Algonquin condo project :: The Courier News :: Local News

Stronger federal action urged on illegal immigration

  [Chief of Police] Womack described Elgin's issues concerning illegal immigration as "very similar" to those found in border states. She said it stemmed from the federal government's inability thus far to come up with a comprehensive plan for immigration reform.

"Immigration law and immigration enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency matter."

We want to have a safe and secure community," she said. "Those that are here in our community violating the laws regardless of their residency status is what we focus on -- that is the line that we draw in order that we can maintain that trust with our community so that we can have criminal activity being appropriately reported."

Click on the following for more details:  Stronger federal action urged on illegal immigration :: The Courier News :: Local News

Robert Reich (Bust Up the Health Insurance Trusts)

Not a solution to the health insurance problem but perhaps some scrutiny would help.   Remember to click on the links that are underlined for further information.

Astonishingly, the health insurance industry is exempt from federal antitrust laws, which is why a handful of insurers have become so dominant in their markets that their customers simply have nowhere else to go. But that protection might soon end: President Obama on Tuesday announced his support of a House bill that would repeal health insurers’ antitrust exemption, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled that she would put it toward an immediate vote.

The 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act made it official, exempting insurers from antitrust scrutiny and giving states the power to regulate them, although not necessarily any power to regulate rates

America’s five largest health insurers made a total profit of $12.2 billion last year; that was 56 percent higher than in 2008, according to a report from Health Care for America Now

A 2008 survey by the Government Accountability Office found the five largest providers of small group insurance controlled 75 percent or more of the market in 34 states, and 90 percent or more in 23 of those states, a significant increase in concentration since the G.A.O.’s 2002 survey

 

Click on the following for more details:  Robert Reich (Bust Up the Health Insurance Trusts)

THE UNITED STATES: "Leading Jailer of the World

Free Lecture and Open to the Public!

Thursday, March 4th, 2010
7:00pm-9:00pm
McHenry County College Conference Center
8900 US Hwy 14
Crystal Lake, IL

[prisons] increasingly have been turned over to private contractors, creating a monstrous "prison industrial complex" whose profit depends on people to punish. Dr Gaddis calls for a revolution - "a revolution in values." He persuasively argues that what we need is not new prisons, but a powerful movement for social transformation in health care, housing, education, drug programs, jobs, and education.

Click on the following for more details:  http://www.triblocal.com/Woodstock/Detail_View/view.html?type=events&action=detail&sub_id=147786

Revised FOIA under attack | Daily Chronicle

FOIA under attack
The following is a list of bills before the General Assembly aimed at curtailing the state Freedom of Information Act, as well as their chief sponsors:
• House Bill 5069 (Rep. Patrick Verschoore, D-Rock Island): The bill would increase the amount that public bodies can charge for copies by eliminating the limit of 15 cents a page, the $1 limit for certification, and the requirement that the first 50 pages be provided free. It also would eliminate the requirement for public bodies to provide files kept electronically in an electronic format.
• Senate Bill 2978 (Sen. John Millner, R-Bloomingdale): The bill would eliminate the requirement that courts award attorneys fees to requesters who successfully sue public agencies over a denied FOIA request. It also allows agencies to withhold employee disciplinary records short of a criminal conviction, and expands governments' ability to withhold records by citing ongoing investigations.
• House Bill 5154 (Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora): The bill would exempt from FOIA performance evaluations for all public employees.
• Senate Bill 3040 (Sen. William Haine, D-Alton): The bill would exempt from FOIA the performance evaluations of police officers and sworn peace officers.
• House Bill 5143 (Rep. Michael Connelly, R-Naperville): The bill would prohibit the release of "files and personal information" of any applicant for a professional license or any license holder facing discipline. It also bars release of "files and personal information" of people who receive social, medical, educational, financial and other services from public bodies, and the personal information of participants in park, forest preserve and conservation district programs.
• House Bill 5007 (Rep. Art Turner, D-Chicago): The bill creates a Juvenile Justice Mortality Review Team to review deaths of juveniles in state correctional custody. It exempts the team's records from release, and exempts it from compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Click on the following for more details:  Revised FOIA under attack | Daily Chronicle

Former Belvidere Mayor Rory Peterson found not guilty of theft

“I look at (political signs in the right of way) as being public litter,” Peterson said. “People have an obligation to know the law and comply with the law when they’re campaigning.”

[Judge] Young said he did not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Peterson was guilty of theft, as it is defined by state law, but he did warn him to not remove any more signs. Peterson has no authority to remove the signs and should have contacted the property owner, the election office or the proper municipal official.

Click on the following for more details:  Former Belvidere mayor found not guilty of theft - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Senate fails to pass unemployment benefits extension - - BusinessRockford.com

At issue are the several tiers of unemployment insurance available to workers whose initial 26 weeks of benefits have expired. The federal government funds several types of extensions for people who have been jobless for longer than that.
The cutoff wouldn’t affect most people already receiving extended benefits, said Maurice Emsellem of the National Employment Law Project. Instead, people seeking to obtain benefit extensions would not be able to obtain them. It’s also an administrative nightmare for state labor departments.
About 1.1 million people could lose benefits in the unlikely event the impasse lasts through March.

Click on the following for more details:  Senate fails to pass unemployment benefits extension - - BusinessRockford.com

Boone County spends $18K to fix sewer problem

 “Our feeder line seemed to be blocked or broken and we couldn’t identify where the problem was,”…

Employees at the building had no working restrooms from Feb. 5 to Feb. 12.

spend an unbudgeted $18,683.50 to remedy the problem. …

$12,975 of the emergency funding went to cover the plumbing and sanitary repair, with the remainder supporting a field manager and landscaping, sidewalk repair, and curb replacement, which will be done this spring.

[State Rep. Jehan Gordon, D-Peoria] … said because many urban school districts, in Chicagoland and across downstate Illinois, are losing their property tax base, a cut in general state aid would hit them harder

Click on the following for more details:  Boone County spends $18K to fix sewer problem - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

NIU proton therapy center runs out of time, needs new state permit | Daily Chronicle

That two-year period will come to an end Friday. And the project remains far from completion,
NIPTRC representatives said.
NIPTRC blamed its failure to complete the project on the problems that have plagued the capital markets, making it virtually impossible to issue the $140 million in bonds

If built, the NIPTRC facility would be the Chicago area’s second proton therapy center, as Central DuPage Hospital and Bloomington, Ind.-based ProCure are completing work on the region’s first such proton center in Warrenville.

Click on the following for more details:  NIU proton therapy center runs out of time, needs new state permit | Daily Chronicle

Citizens With a Vision for District 100—where are you?

This campaign committee received tens of thousands of dollars and spend the money on expensive advertizing  to convince  the taxpayers to build North Belvidere High School.  After the defeat of the $.35 Education Fund increase in 2007 we have not heard of this organization.

Does it still exist?  Who runs the organization?   Is there any money left?

Well the committee still has an active status according to the Illinois State Board of Election.  Their fillings are available at:  http://www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeList.aspx?id=17844

For your convenience here is information from some of there recent filings.

Citizens With a Vision for District 100
Purpose: Raise awareness to assist passage of school referendum.

c/o James Twyning, Treas
11811 Pony Ln
Belvidere, IL 61008-9686    Active
Local 11910

Creation Date:1/13/2004

Officers
Name                     Title                                  Address
David K Adkins     CoChair/Treas 2156 St James Ave Belvidere, IL 61008

James V. Twyning  Co-Chairman 11811 Pony Ln Belvidere, IL 61008

 

Since June 30, 2007 the committee has had $10,146.79 available. 

Their latest semi-annual Report is shown below.  Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

The Daily Northwestern - College Democrats to bring Rod Blagojevich to campus

A new acting role for Rod—”an expert on ethics”. 

Blagojevich will speak to the Northwestern community at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2 at Cahn Auditorium. The event, titled “Ethics in Politics: An evening with Former Governor Rod Blagojevich,” is sponsored by College Democrats.

Click on the following for more details:  The Daily Northwestern - College Democrats to bring Rod Blagojevich to campus

Daily Herald | Shaw enters printing agreement with Paddock Publications

Nearly all of the independent papers in Northwest and West collar counties will be printed in Schaumburg. 

Paddock, which publishes the Daily Herald, will begin printing the Northwest Herald and Shaw's other suburban newspapers at its production facility in Schaumburg

Paddock also will print the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb, the Kane County Chronicle, the Lake County Journal, The MidWeek and several other publications

Click on following for more details:  Daily Herald | Shaw enters printing agreement with Paddock Publications

Despite economy, Rockton leaders optimistic about TIF performance | The Rock River Times

A short story evaluating Rockton and Chemtool. 

Chemtool presently has 60 employees on the site, and that 40 additional employees will be relocating from the Crystal Lake facility at the beginning of March.

As a result of Chemtool owner Jim Athans’ investments, Adams estimated the challenged property is now worth approximately $15 million.

“Two years ago, when we first set this up, it was considerably less than that,

Click on the following for details:  Despite economy, Rockton leaders optimistic about TIF performance | The Rock River Times

Alvarez tells Congress about child prostitution here - Chicago

 

Alvarez said criminal enterprises "have made a fortune" exploiting women and girls in Cook County. One survey of Chicago-area women in the sex trade found that 73 percent got in the business before age 18, she said.

Alvarez described a criminal case in 2008 in LaSalle County, Ill., in which gang members distributed heroin and crack cocaine -- illicit substances prepared in Chicago -- using 17- and 18-year-old girls who smuggled the drugs in their bodies. Gang leaders were videotaped having sex with the girls, she said.

Click on the following for more details:  Alvarez tells Congress about child prostitution here - Chicago Breaking News

Gov Quinn’s Budget: Your chance to have say on budget plan

 

At noon today, Gov. Pat Quinn's budget office will post information online about how much

The Web site - www.budget.illinois.gov - will include a "suggest a solution" feature through which anyone can submit an idea. It will also be possible to add attachments to send to the

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | Your chance to have say on budget plan

Illinois takes stock as swine flu deaths top 100

Most who died from the virus were between the ages of 25 and 64, and most had other health problems.

swine flu is on its last legs in Illinois, but the virus is still circulating and could return.

Click on following for more details:  Daily Herald | Illinois takes stock as swine flu deaths top 100

The Belvidere Daily Republican. - County U of I Extension Office seeks support

 

The Boone County Extension Office is the driving force behind the 4H program and its 100-plus volunteers, which is integral to the annual Boone County Fair.

In addition, the Boone County extension office offers a Master Gardener program, which has about 40 active members

Two meetings will be held nearby – 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25 at the DeKalb Unit Office, 1350 Prairie Drive in Sycamore, and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 2 at the Kane Unit Office, 535 South Randall Road in St. Charles.

In addition, two tele-conferences have been scheduled for public participation 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 24 and 2 to 3:30 p.m. March 11 at the Boone County Extension Office, 915 Alexandria Dr. in Belvidere.

Finally, input can be submitted by e-mail to uiefeedback@illinois.edu.

Click on the following for more details:  The Belvidere Daily Republican. - County U of I Extension Office seeks support

Duckworth not interested in being on Quinn ticket :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Election 2010

Quinn had been in Washington over the weekend for the National Governors Association meeting and he met with Duckworth

am honored my name has been mentioned for potential consideration by the Illinois Democratic Central Committee ... I have respectfully requested that my name be removed from consideration,” Duckworth said in statement. “I made a commitment to President Obama and our Nation's Veterans to serve at the Department of Veterans' Affairs and I want to fulfill my promise before returning home.”

Click on the following for more details:  Duckworth not interested in being on Quinn ticket :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Election 2010

Belvidere police union takes benefits concerns to city council

 in raising insurance costs and not giving any equivalent benefits, [City of Belvidere]  is in violation and should have negotiated the changes in the union’s labor agreement.

about Dec. 14, 2009, the labor council was made aware the employer instituted a new health and dental plan that was not ‘substantially’ equivalent to the existing plan,” the grievance says. It further states the city violated article 9 and all applicable articles of the agreement.

Click on the following for more details of this union complaint:  Belvidere police union takes benefits concerns to council - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Italian government slams Fiat for halting production : Cars General

Fiat's temporary shutdown, announced on Tuesday, and set to take effect on February 22, is "not appropriate," Scajola said, stressing that the move came as unemployment is a key issue in Italy.

The company's move comes "during these very days that we are dealing with the delicate issue of Termini Imerese," Scajola, said in an interview with news television channel SkyTG24.

Fiat Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne, recently announced that the Turin-based company intends to permanently close its plant in Termini Imerese, Sicily by the end of 2011.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative government has repeatedly urged Fiat to reconsider the move which - if implemented - could render some 1,600 workers jobless.

Fiat's decision on the country-wide temporary stop, "could be interpreted by some as blackmail," said the CISL labour union's General Secretary Raffaele Bonanni, referring to ongoing negotiations with the carmaker over the fate of Termini Imerese.
Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/306082,italian-government-slams-fiat-for-halting-production.html#ixzz0gKt9m2oS

 

Click on the following for more details:  Italian government slams Fiat for halting production : Cars General

Will Boone County Taxpayers have to pay for Poplar Grove’s special protection?

As reported by the Rockford Register Star on 2-16-2010, Poplar Grove has yet to determine whether they will receive reduced protection from the Sherriff’s Department. See:  http://www.rrstar.com/boone/x196135208/Committee-OKs-new-taxes-holds-off-on-sheriff-s-vote 

But it appears that the Sheriff continues to provide the services and payments are in the rears.  The following is taken from the Boone County Finance Committee Subcommittee minutes 2-9-2010:

“ He [Ken Terrinoni, County Administrator] has not heard from the Village of Poplar Grove whether they plan to continue paying the current amount for police protection.  They are behind a few months on paying for this service”  [See the minutes below]

It appears that Poplar Grove is three months behind in payments.  The  list below was prepared based upon the monthly Sheriff’s Department Revenue Summaries that the Sherriff is required to submit to the County Board. 

Will the entire county end up paying for Poplar Grove’s special protection from the Sherriff’s Department?  Will the county be properly reimbursed for the extra  services granted by the Sherriff to Poplar Grove?  Oh yes, Poplar Grove’s old contract promised to eventually purchase a new police car for the Sheriff—will there be any settlement on this matter?

 

Click on the minutes to enlarge.

Boone County Considers Refinancing –Paying the Bondsman again.

As noted by the minutes of Finance Sub-committee shown below,  the Boone County Board is considering refinancing several million dollars of bonds. [Series 2008 A & B, see paragraph 2]   The 2008 Bonds had $205,000 in underwriting cost.  Now the Board  is considering refinancing and incurring a like amount of underwriting cost?   Does this make sense?  Is the county doing this only because it cannot afford to pay the current debt schedule out of the General Fund? These projects were going to be paid out of savings and operating income, why the change?  Does refinancing really make economic sense?

Back in January 2009 I posted a length analysis regarding the high “hidden” cost” of Boone County’s borrowings for the  Administrative Center on Logan and the remodeling at the Courthouse.  See:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/paying-bondsman.html.  To review those findings:  the county borrowed $5.2 million, only received $4,995,000 because of $205,000 in various underwriting cost, primarily insurance on the bonds.  Because the net proceeds to the county were  lower than the face amount of the loan the effective interest rate of the $4,995,000 borrowing was approximately 5.12%.  That rate equaled the rate for conventional home mortgage loans to a good credit.

Now the county is proposing to spend  more money to a  bond broker to find out  how much it will cost to refinance the bond?   Will the county board really consider all of the cost of refinancing? 

Click on photocopy to enlarge: 

Fiat/Chrysler: Damaged When Delivered? New Report Documents Shocking Auto Delivery Practices | Car Buyers Beware

The following is from the Teamsters’ website and describes various publications endorsed by the  International Brotherhood of Teamsters and available on the web.  The various colored words are web links.

CarBuyersBeware has released a new report with photographic evidence of the shoddy practices being used by alternative carriers to deliver new cars and trucks to auto dealers. The report contains pictures that were taken across the country in just the last few months. These practices endanger your new cars' frames, suspensions, tires, and more.
Consumer groups are understandably appalled. Nonprofit organizations Consumer Action and Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS) have worked to improve protections for new and used car buyers. They say, "one of the most insidious problems American car buyers face is undisclosed damage to new vehicles, which may occur while they are being transported to dealership lots."
In this report, CARS and Consumer Action call on Fiat/Chrysler to "reverse direction and instead of cutting corners on auto shipping, take more steps to ensure that their new vehicles are not damaged en route to dealerships. The car buying public deserves no less."
And what about the auto dealers, who rely on the auto makers to choose the companies that deliver cars to them? They're not happy either. Over 160 dealers across the country have already signed an open letter asking them to reconsider.
If you are also opposed to the changes Fiat/Chrysler is making that endanger your new cars and destroy middle-class jobs with good benefits, please take action here to ask them to reconsider.

Fiat/Chrysler: Damaged When Delivered? New Report Documents Shocking Auto Delivery Practices | Car Buyers Beware

Tentative agreement reached between union, Johnson Controls | Daily Chronicle

by Monday morning a tentative agreement appeared to have been reached between the the company and members of Belvidere-based United Auto Workers Local 1268.

Details are few but click on the following for what there is:  Tentative agreement reached between union, Johnson Controls | Daily Chronicle

Daily Herald | Elgin police shoot six 'aggressive' pit bulls

Officers found a total of 21 pit bulls inside the residence Friday night along with more than 50 marijuana plants and materials used to grow the plants indoors,

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | Elgin police shoot six 'aggressive' pit bulls

Investors Stark, Owen: Signatures on Bloomington area loan documents forged

The complaint marks the first specific case of alleged fraud related to the bank's troubled commercial loan portfolio. Last fall, regulators found the Normal bank to be undercapitalized, alleging poor selection of credit risk and improper lending controls, and ordered it to shape up or find a buyer.

Two Twin City investors whose money was used to secure a $3 million loan to one of developer Larry Hundman's real estate companies claim their signatures were forged on key documents

Click on the following for more details:  Investors Stark, Owen: Signatures on loan documents forged

Illinois gets 1st stimulus funds for broadband access | Crain's Chicago Business

DeKalb County won $13.2 million in federal and state money to improve Internet access, the state’s first broadband access grant under the federal stimulus program.

includes $1.3 million from the state’s capital construction program and $11.9 million in federal stimulus money.

A public-private partnership called DeKalb Advancement of Technology Authority will install a fiber-optic network to serve 3,600 businesses and 34,000 homes in the county.

Illinois gets 1st stimulus funds for broadband access | Crain's Chicago Business

Sears' Craftman tools to be sold by Ace Hardware | Crain's Chicago Business

about 100 Ace stores would begin selling Craftsman tools in May as part of a multi-phase rollout. The first group of Ace Hardware stores will sell Craftsman hand tools, portable power tools, compressors, wet/dry vacuums and tool storage units.

By June, all Ace stores will be able to promote a limited selection of Craftsman products.

Sears Holdings announcing Thursday it would franchise its auto center business to car dealerships and its decision last week to offer its DieHard-branded products at other retailers.

Click on the following for the rest of the story:  Sears' Craftman tools to be sold by Ace Hardware | Crain's Chicago Business

Quinn admits he'd like Duckworth on ticket :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

 

For the first time, Gov. Quinn gave credence Friday to rumors that federal Veterans Affairs official Tammy Duckworth is on his short list of candidates to fill the vacant Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

But Duckworth would have to leave her position as an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to accept the party nod, a risk that would require her to forgo a guaranteed job in the Obama administration just for a chance to run.

Click on the following for more details:  Quinn admits he'd like Duckworth on ticket :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Election 2010

Scholarship perk under fire in Illinois

The Illinois Senate has scheduled a hearing Tuesday to discuss plans to either reform or abolish the General Assembly scholarship program.

It’s not the first time the tuition waivers have been targeted for elimination, but prior attempts dating to the 1990s have usually started — and failed — in the House.

The cost — estimated at $12 million per year – is then absorbed by the universities.

Scholarship perk under fire in Illinois

Our View: Senate meeting is unacceptable | Daily Chronicle

the Senate could choose to close almost any session where no vote will be taken by calling it a “joint caucus.”
Even if the Senate was not in violation of the letter of the law – though we contend that it was – it certainly was in violation of the spirit of the law.

Time and again, our state’s elected leaders have shown that they have no plans to change the culture in Springfield.
Voters need to remember that in November.

Click on the following for the complete editorial:  Our View: Senate meeting is unacceptable | Daily Chronicle

UAW strike in Sycamore threatens Belvidere Chrysler production - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader

 

main concern is the[Johnson Control]  company's wish to take out a clause in their contract that says it can't outsource jobs. "They can take and move these jobs out of Illinois. They could move the jobs out of the United States. You could see this facility all but disappear,"

Click on the following for more details:  UAW strike in Sycamore threatens Belvidere Chrysler production - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader

Illinois Republican Party supports Redistricting Referendum

Illinois Fair Map Amendment

Redistricting is right around the corner and Illinois citizens have an opportunity to truly reform the way Illinois government operates.  There is a movement sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, and many other reform-minded groups to pass a citizen’s initiative to change the way redistricting is done in Illinois.  The Illinois Republican Party is supportive of this proposal.   In order for this initiative to appear on the ballot in November, 500,000 signatures must be collected by April 1, 2010.  Now is the time for action and we greatly appreciate your support of this initiative by gathering as many signatures as possible.   

To learn more or to download a petition, please visit www.ilfairmap.com. There are many technicalities with the petition process so please make sure to review the instructions thoroughly. Thanks!

The New Poor - Despite Signs of Recovery, Long-Term Unemployment Rises - Series - NYTimes.com

Economists fear that the nascent recovery will leave more people behind than in past recessions, failing to create jobs in sufficient numbers to absorb the record-setting ranks of the long-term unemployed.

Roughly 2.7 million jobless people will lose their unemployment check before the end of April unless Congress approves

6.3 million Americans who have been unemployed for six months or longer, the largest number since the government began keeping track in 1948

declining influence of unions has made it easier for employers to shift work to part-time and temporary employees.

only two-thirds of unemployed people received state-provided unemployment checks last year, according to the Labor Department. The rest either exhausted their benefits, fell short of requirements or did not apply.

Click on the following for more details:  The New Poor - Despite Signs of Recovery, Long-Term Unemployment Rises - Series - NYTimes.com

New corporation seeks to redevelop area in DeKalb County

National Bank & Trust Company’s Community Development Corporation, a limited-liability corporation that finances economic redevelopment projects or projects to benefit low- to moderate-income people in DeKalb and Sycamore.

For example, Cullen said, it could purchase an empty downtown building, refurbish it, bring in tenants and sell it. The goal would be to break even, not to make profits as in a typical investment.

Click on the following for more details:  New corporation seeks to redevelop area | Daily Chronicle

Chrysler buys Sterling Heights plant for use until 2012 Detroit Free Press

Several empty Chrysler plants without equipment were sold at this price.

Sterling Heights Assembly is a Chrysler automobile factory in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The factory opened in 1953 to produce missiles. Volkswagen converted it for automobile production in 1980 and it was subsequently purchased by Chrysler in 1983. The nearby Sterling Stamping opened in 1965. As the plant was modernized in 2006, the old Stratus assembly line and tooling was sold to OAO GAZ and had been shipped to that company's factory in Nizhny Novgorod in Russia. GAZ continues to produce the Stratus under license there.^{[1][Wikipedia]}

On May 6, 2009 it was announced that the Sterling Heights Assembly plant will close by December 2010.^[2] However, the adjacent stamping plant will remain open.

Chrysler is getting a bargain at $20 million, especially considering that the city of Sterling Heights has offered to extend $7.4 million in property tax abatements.

plant, which Chrysler bought from Volkswagen in 1983, is one of Chrysler’s oldest assembly plants. Its paint shop likely would have to be upgraded or replaced if Chrysler would assign it a new product after 2012

Click on the following for more details:  Chrysler buys Sterling Heights plant for use until 2012 | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Mayor Brereton delivers state of the city address

drop in the general fund revenue by nearly 4 percent, or just under $500,000, followed by decreases in income tax revenues by about $250,000, and sales tax revenues of more than $500,000.

Brereton concluded that in this environment, the city is "treading water" to keep municipal services intact.

we find ourselves trying to run a 2011 government on 2006 revenues."

city needs to continue to support their corporate citizens, Chrysler, General Mills/Green Giant, Dean Foods, and offer prayers for NDK’s recovery activities as well as all employers big and small to enhance the city’s efforts to reverse the unemployment trend of recent months.

firefighter or police officer can collect 50 percent of their ending year salary after 20 years of service or 75 percent of the ending salary after 30 years. Fully funding for this eventuality has been "virtually impossible" and just adequately funding them is "placing increased pressure" on the city’s general fund

Click on the following for more details:  The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Mayor Brereton delivers state of the city address

Kirk Dillard: No recount in GOP governor primary unless he’s within 100 votes - chicagotribune.com

State Sen. Kirk Dillard indicated he would not push for a recount unless he trailed rival state Sen. Bill Brady by 100 votes or less….

Late unofficial vote counts from election authorities in the more-populous six-county Chicago region showed Dillard cutting into Brady's lead by nearly 200 votes. Still, final tallying continues in downstate counties where, despite fewer votes being cast, Brady has held an advantage over Dillard.
Dillard maintained that the differential could be made up in the Chicago suburbs by counting provisional ballots — most of which are routinely tossed. Dillard said he won't make a decision on whether to concede the race until the State Board of Elections certifies the results March 5.

Click on the following for more details:  Kirk Dillard: No recount in GOP governor primary unless he’s within 100 votes - chicagotribune.com

Clout St: State Supreme Court rules no pension for jailed George Ryan

Illinois Supreme Court today ruled that imprisoned ex-Gov. George Ryan should not get get any of his state pension because of his federal conviction on political corruption charges.

The 6-1 decision means Ryan, who turns 76 next week, won't be able to start collecting about $5,900 a month, or around $71,000 a year.

Ryan retired with a $150,691 salary as governor, but his 36 years climbing the ladder of local and state politics allowed him to collect about $200,000 a year until he was convicted

Madigan's argument was simple. Ryan should lose the whole pension because he was a member of the same state pension system before and after his crimes. He had shifted his pension credits from the nearly six years in county government to the state pension after joining the legislature in 1972.

pension payments had stopped in September 2006…Ryan received $235,500 from the pension system when his pension was voided, representing personal contributions he made to the retirement fund over the years

Click on the following for more details and references for the legal briefs on the subject:  Clout St: State Supreme Court rules no pension for jailed George Ryan

Muni-threat-cities-weigh-chapter-9: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

 

Chapter 9 is widely considered a last resort and filings under it are more taboo than other parts of bankruptcy code because of the resulting uncertainty for everyone from municipal employees to bondholders….Since Chapter 9 was enacted in 1934, just 600 cases have been filed under the code, partly because they require state approval.

Click on the following for more details:  muni-threat-cities-weigh-chapter-9: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

Our View: Sign the petition; make a difference | Daily Chronicle

Redistricting should be for the people, not the politicians.
A proposed constitutional amendment, the Illinois Fair Map Amendment, would take redistricting power away from politicians, place it in the hands of an impartial commission, and strike a blow against Illinois’ culture of corruption.
How can you help? Registered voters are encouraged to sign Fair Map Amendment petitions before the end of March.

Click on the following for more details:  Our View: Sign the petition; make a difference | Daily Chronicle

Sycamore, NIU grad killed in California plane crash | Daily Chronicle

DeKalb County connection to the Tesla crash. 

graduate of both Sycamore High School and Northern Illinois University was killed Wednesday in a plane crash in California.
Brian Michael Finn was one of three employees of electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc.

Finn graduated from Sycamore High in 1985, according to school officials. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics, with a concentration in acoustics, in 1990 from NIU, followed by a Masters of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1992, according to NIU records.

 

Click on the following for more details: 

Sycamore, NIU grad killed in California plane crash | Daily Chronicle

Horse slaughter ban back on legislative agenda

There is a new push in the General Assembly to repeal the state’s nearly three-year-old ban on commercial horse slaughter.

State Rep Jim Sacia, R-Pecatonica, said in the years since Illinois shut down the last horse slaughter plant in DeKalb, thousands of horses have faced starvation, abandonment, or a long trip to a death in Mexico. …“We have now reached a point where nearly 100,000 horses a year are being shipped to arguably a third world country…where they are slaughtered in Mexico in nowhere near the humane situation that we had here.”

State Rep. Dave Winters, R-Rockford, said the legislature needs to look at horse slaughter as a part of Illinois’ agricultural economy.

Click on the following for more details:  Horse slaughter ban back on legislative agenda - Freeport, IL - The Journal-Standard

Boone board opposes moving U of I Extension office - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

If  U of I moves the office will county taxpayers still have to pay the special  real estate tax?

there are 400 4-H members in 20 community clubs and 40 active master gardeners whose collective volunteer time in 2009 reached 2,332 hours at a value of more than $47,000.

Walberg reminded…. that Boone County taxpayers approved a property tax referendum in 1991 to fund the Boone office.

“What is to be determined is to be determined after public meetings are finished. It’s pretty evident that a prime option is reorganization and moving from single-county units to multicounty units. With that, we don’t know if there will be a loss of local presence and service that could go with that.” [said Mailand]

Click on the following for more details:  Boone board opposes moving U of I Extension office - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Illinois Fair Map Amendment

Here is the text of constitutional amendment:

ARTICLE IV

THE LEGISLATURE

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2)

SECTION 2.  LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION

(a)One Senator shall be elected from each Legislative District.  Immediately following each decennial redistricting, the General Assembly shall divide the Legislative Districts as equally as possible into three groups.  Senators from one group shall be elected for terms of four years, four years and two years; Senators from the second group, for terms of four years, two years and four years; and Senators from the third group, for terms of two years, four years and four years.  The Legislative Districts in each group shall be distributed substantially equally over the State.

(b)In 2012 and every two years thereafter one Representative shall be elected from each Representative District for a term of two years.

(c)To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he is to represent.  In the general election following a redistricting, a candidate for the General Assembly may be elected from any district which contains a part of the district in which he resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a resident of the new district he represents for 18 months prior to reelection.

(d)Within thirty days after a vacancy occurs, it shall be filled by appointment as provided by law.  If the vacancy is in a Senatorial office with more than twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed Senator shall serve until the next general election, at which time a Senator shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term.  If the vacancy is in a Representative office or in any other Senatorial office, the appointment shall be for the remainder of the term.  An appointee to fill a vacancy shall be a member of the same political party as the person he succeeds.

(e)No member of the General Assembly shall receive compensation as a public officer or employee from any other governmental entity for time during which he is in attendance as a member of the General Assembly.

No member of the General Assembly during the term for which he was elected or appointed shall be appointed to a public office which shall have been created or the compensation for which shall have been increased by the General Assembly during that term.

(Source:  Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 3)

SECTION 3.  LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING

(a)On the second Tuesday in February in the year following each federal decennial census year, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Minority Leader of the House may each, considering the diversity of the State, appoint two members to the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission.  On or before the second Tuesday in March, one additional member shall be elected by a majority of the members appointed, and that member shall serve as Chair.  Members of the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission shall not be eligible to be elected to the General Assembly or appointed to any office of the State that is subject to confirmation by the Senate for ten years after completion of service on the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission. No person may serve as a member of the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission who is at the time of appointment, becomes at any time during service, or who was at any time during the preceding four years (i) a registered lobbyist in Illinois; (ii) an employee or contractor of the State of Illinois; (iii) an elected official of or a candidate for or appointed member of any elected body of: the federal government, the State, a unit of local government, a school district or a political party or (iv) an immediate family member of any of the foregoing.  As used in this Article IV, Section 3, “immediate family member” is a person with whom the person has a bona fide relationship established through close blood or legal kinship.  If any member of the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission shall be unable to fulfill the duties required under this Section, then the person who appointed said member, or that person’s successor, shall appoint a person to fill said vacancy within five days of the occurrence of the vacancy.

A meeting of a majority of a quorum of the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission shall be open to the public with at least twenty-four hour notice.  The Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission shall have authority to hire independent private firms for any assistance.  The Commission shall conduct at least five public hearings on separate days around five distinct geographic regions of the State before voting on any redistricting plans, and at least three of the hearings shall be after receipt of the data from the United States Census Bureau.

Within three days after receipt of the data from the United States Census Bureau, the Commission shall make that data, together with redistricting software, available to the public.

(b)The Commission shall approve any redistricting plans by a majority vote of its members.

The Commission shall establish districts pursuant to a mapping process using the following criteria as set forth in the following order of priority:

(1)Districts shall comply with all federal laws, and shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political process or to diminish their ability to elect representatives of their choice.

(2)Districts shall be contiguous.

(3)Districts shall be substantially equal in population.

(4)Districts shall be compact.

(5)District boundaries shall, to the extent practical, follow visible geographic features and municipal boundaries.

(6)The plan shall not be drawn to purposefully or significantly favor or discriminate against any political party or group.

Party registration, voting history data and incumbency shall not be considered in the mapping process, except to evaluate compliance with the criteria listed in subsections (b)(1) and (b)(6).  The Commission shall establish definitions where applicable for each of the criteria listed in subsections (b)(1)-(6).  A Representative District need not be entirely within a single Legislative District.

After preliminary approval of the redistricting plans, the Commission shall release the proposed plans to the public, conduct at least three public hearings around three distinct geographic regions of the State, and submit a report to the General Assembly.  At any time prior to the submission of a plan under subsection (c), any member of the General Assembly or general public may submit a plan to be considered by the Commission and for public viewing.  All documents submitted to or plans considered by the Commission shall be made available to the public within a reasonable time period.

(c)After conducting the required public hearings, the Commission shall approve by a majority vote a Representative redistricting plan by third Monday in May, which the Chair of the Commission shall deliver to the House of Representatives on the third business day after approval.  The House must take a record vote to accept the plan by a House Resolution.  The Resolution is adopted if it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members elected.

After conducting the required public hearings, the Commission shall approve by a majority vote a Senate redistricting plan by the third Monday in May, which the Chair of the Commission shall deliver to the Senate on the third business day after approval.  The Senate must take a record vote to accept the plan by a Senate Resolution.  The Resolution is adopted if it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members elected.

Redistricting plans may not be amended by either chamber.  An adopted redistricting resolution shall be filed with the Secretary of State by the presiding officer of the chamber that initiated the resolution.  Each chamber shall have until the first Monday in June to file a resolution with the Secretary of State approving the redistricting plan.

(d)If a plan is not adopted by a chamber of the General Assembly, the Commission shall approve an alternative redistricting plan no later than third Monday in June, and the Chair of the Commission shall deliver that plan to the appropriate chamber of the General Assembly on the third business day after approval.  The appropriate chamber of the General Assembly shall approve or reject that plan in the same manner established by subsection (c).  Each chamber shall have until the first Monday in July to file a resolution with the Secretary of State approving the alternative redistricting plan. 

(e)If a plan is not approved by a chamber of the General Assembly by the first Monday in July, the Commission shall approve by a majority one of the two previous plans submitted to the appropriate chamber of the General Assembly under subsections (c) and (d).  The Chair of the Commission shall file the approved redistricting plan for the appropriate chamber with the Secretary of State not later than the third Monday in July.

(f)If at any time the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission fails to meet one of the deadlines set forth herein, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and a Supreme Court judge chosen by the judges of the Supreme Court who are not of the political party of the Chief Justice shall within ten days jointly appoint and certify to the Secretary of State one person to act as Special Master to generate any maps not previously approved.  No person may serve as Special Master who is not eligible to serve on the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission.  A person who serves as Special Master is not eligible to be elected to the General Assembly or appointed to any office of the State that is subject to confirmation by the Senate for ten years after completion of service as a Special Master.  A Special Master shall consider all redistricting plans delivered by or submitted to the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission, the Senate, or the House as applicable.  The Special Master shall have authority to hire independent assistance, make available the data received from the United States Census Bureau, together with redistricting software, to the public within three days of receipt unless the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission has already done so; shall conduct at least five public hearings on separate days around five distinct geographic regions of the state after receipt of the data from the United States Census Bureau and before promulgating any preliminary redistricting plans, and shall hold at least three public hearings on separate days around three distinct geographic regions of the state after promulgating any preliminary redistricting plans and before finalizing any plan or plans.  All documents submitted to or utilized by the Special Master shall be made available to the public within a reasonable amount of time.  The Special Master shall file a redistricting plan complying with the criteria set forth in subsection 3(b) for the Legislative Districts and Representative Districts, as applicable, with the Secretary of State not later than September 30.

(g)A redistricting resolution or redistricting plan filed with the Secretary of State shall be presumed valid, shall have the force and effect of law and shall be published promptly by the Secretary of State.

The Supreme Court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over actions concerning redistricting the House and Senate, which shall be initiated in the name of the People of the State by the Attorney General.

(Source:  Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.)

SCHEDULE

The State Board of Elections shall proceed, as soon as all the returns are received but no later than 31 days after the election, to canvass the votes given for and against this Constitutional Amendment, as shown by the abstracts of votes cast.  If this Constitutional Amendment is approved by either three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election, then the State Board of Elections shall declare the adoption of this Constitutional Amendment and it shall, upon declaration of its adoption, take effect and become a part of the Constitution of this State.  This Schedule supersedes and applies notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, and no other requirements, including without limitation proclamation of the results of the vote or notice by publication, are necessary for its effectiveness.  This Constitutional Amendment applies to redistricting beginning in 2011 for the election of members of the General Assembly beginning in 2012

 

Fair Map Partners

• League of Women Voters—click on League for petition information.
• Better Government Association
• Patrick Collins, Brad McMillan, Shelia Simon, David Hoffman & Duane Noland
  former members of the Illinois Reform Commission.
• IL Campaign for Political Reform
• Common Cause - Illinois
• Illinois Chamber of Commerce
• Americans for Prosperity
• Illinois Alliance for Growth
• Illinois Farm Bureau
• Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO)
• United Power for Action and Justice

Illinois GOP leaders seek change in remap procedures - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

The GOP resolutions are part of an effort by the Illinois Fair Map Coalition to get the issue on the ballot, one way or the other.

To make it onto the ballot through the legislature, however, the effort would have to receive three-fifths approval from both legislative chambers, and both chambers of the General Assembly are controlled by Democrats

The amendment also could be put on the November ballot by citizen petition, which would require 280,000 signatures. The coalition is trying to gather 500,000 signatures supporting the amendment by May 2.

Jan Czarnik of the League of Women Voters said many voters are “appalled” by the current redistricting system.

But Democrats say there are other options.

 

Click on the following for more details:  Illinois GOP leaders seek change in remap procedures - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

Our View: Genoa still best rail route | Daily Chronicle

the best bet in getting future federal funding is by using a less costly and less complicated route that can more easily be upgraded to allow for higher speeds. That means going through Genoa.

For Rockford, it is not Amtrak, but Metra, that represents the primary goal. The Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning has called implementation of passenger rail its “top regional priority” for the Rockford region, and long has pushed to locate passenger (Amtrak) and commuter (Metra) rail on the same line.
Metra would be a fine addition to Rockford, but at what cost? RMAP estimates it will cost $247 million to get Metra there. That doesn’t include the estimated $10 million in annual operating expenses.

.

Our View: Genoa still best rail route | Daily Chronicle

Fed Raises Interest Rate That It Charges Banks - NYTimes.com

 

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve, taking its first step to normalize lending after more than two years of extraordinary actions to prop up the economy, on Thursday raised the interest rate it charges banks on emergency loans.

The Fed emphasized that the increase in the discount rate, to 0.75 percent from 0.50 percent, which will take effect on Friday, did not represent a broad tightening of credit. Instead, officials said, the change was intended to discourage emergency borrowing by banks and other deposit-taking institutions when other financing is available.

“The modifications are not expected to lead to tighter financial conditions for households and businesses and do not signal any change in the outlook for the economy or for monetary policy,” the Fed said in a statement.

The Fed is not expected to make changes in its fed funds rate — the benchmark interest rate — until later this year.

In addition, the Fed announced that the typical maximum maturity for lending from primary credit loans — in which banks borrow from the discount window — would be shortened to overnight, the historic norm, beginning March 18.

The Fed also raised the minimum bid rate for its Term Auction Facility — a temporary program started in December 2007 to ease short-term lending — to 0.50 percent from 0.25 percent.

The changes, which required approval of the Fed’s board of governors, were announced after the close of the markets but they had been signaled in discussions by the central bank’s main policy-making arm, the Federal Open Market Committee, at its last meeting in late January.

In August 2007, at the inception of the financial crisis, the central bank lengthened that maturity to 30 days, from overnight. It also widened the spread, or difference, of the discount rate above the federal funds rate to 0.50 percent, from 1 percent.

The discount rate fell to its current level in December 2008, at the same time the Fed lowered the target for the benchmark fed funds rate — the rate at which banks borrow from each other overnight — to zero to 0.25 percent.

“The increase in the spread and reduction in maximum maturity will encourage depository institutions to rely on private funding markets for short-term credit and to use the Federal Reserve’s primary credit facility only as a backup source of funds,” the Fed said. “The Federal Reserve will assess over time whether further increases in the spread are appropriate in view of experience with the one-half percentage point spread.”

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Fed Raises Interest Rate That It Charges Banks - NYTimes.com

Independent probe of Tribune buyout deal sought :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Creditors want examination of Zell's $8.2 bil. buyout

The argument is that Zell's buyout, which left the company with more than $13 billion in debt as media advertising collapsed, rendered the company bankrupt from the start

Click on the following for more details:  Independent probe of Tribune buyout deal sought :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Business

Former House Speaker Hastert's perk costs taxpayers $1M - Chicago Breaking News

maintain a taxpayer-funded office anywhere in the United States for up to five years…..Perks for ex-speakers date to 1959, according to the Congressional Research Service…. The purpose is to "facilitate the administration, settlement and conclusion of matters pertaining to or arising out of" a former speaker's tenure in the House….The office's spacious rooms -- part workplace, part museum -- are in a modern, two-story brick building next to the Kendall County Courthouse. Other tenants advertise on exterior signs, but not Hastert.

$1 million in taxpayer dollars in the last two years … thanks to a little-known perk given to ex-speakers.

paying monthly rent of $6,300 to a company partly owned by three sons of a Hastert mentor and business partner. Other public funds go for an $860-a-month 2008 GMC Yukon leased from a dealership owned by a Hastert friend and campaign donor.

Hastert represented Illinois in the House of Representatives for almost 21 years and was speaker for eight years. When Democrats regained the majority after the 2006 elections, Hastert lost the top spot. He had not been speaker for almost 11 months when he resigned from the House in November 2007.

Read more about this little known tax spending by clicking on the following:  Former House Speaker Hastert's perk costs taxpayers $1M - Chicago Breaking News

Thousands rally for tax increase to fix budget - Springfield

 

More than 2,000 people filled the Capitol Wednesday to push lawmakers to approve a spending plan that would spare potential cuts to human-service programs.

The crowd, which ranged from social workers to teachers, urged legislators to pass House Bill 174, which passed the Senate last year but stalled in the House. The legislation would increase the state income tax from 3 percent to 5 percent and would make other changes to bring in billions of dollars in new revenue.

Click on the following for more details:  Thousands rally for tax increase to fix budget - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

The Trillion Dollar Gap - The Pew Center on the States

• In 2000, just over half the states had fully funded pension systems. By 2006, that number had shrunk to six states. By 2008, only four—Florida, New York, Washington and Wisconsin—could make that claim.

• In eight states—Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and West Virginia—more than one-third of the total pension liability was unfunded. Two states—Illinois and Kansas—had less than 60 percent of the necessary assets on hand.

The Trillion Dollar Gap - The Pew Center on the States

Clout St: Illinois Senate holds private meeting at statehouse

Lawmakers barred reporters from the meeting, saying it was a joint gathering of the Democratic and Republican caucuses that was not required to be public under the state Constitution or open meetings law.

Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago….dismissed the idea that allowing the entire Senate to hear a briefing from the National Conference of State Legislatures on state budgets and the economy should be open. He said he wanted reporters to see the information but that it would be presented in a press conference afterward.

Yeah, you're right. We've never had it before. I'm proud of it because we're trying to bring people together socially and in the working atmosphere," Cullerton said. "So I'm not trying to keep the media out of our business. You can ask anybody what they want to afterward, what they think, what the materials were."

Click on the following for more details:  Clout St: Illinois Senate holds private meeting at statehouse

Census could give 3 communities home rule

 

Belvidere was at 20,820 in 2000. Loves Park had a special census in 2005 that put the city at 22,476, and a year later a special census in Machesney Park found 22,704 living within its borders.

Belvidere Mayor Fred Brereton said there’s a good chance Belvidere has passed the 25,000 mark.
“There was a lot of growth from 2000 to 2008. We would be surprised if we didn’t reach it,” he said. “It won’t make a huge transition as far as how business is conducted. ... It just happens.”

Census could give 3 communities home rule - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Boone County Revenues fall lower—will there be any adjustments in expenditures?

In November the county board passed the present budget by one vote.  That budget minimized lay-offs and allowed for wage increases of 3-6% to most employees.  It appears that revenue will not meet projections and a large deficit will now occur unless something is done.

Take a look at the recently released revenue charts and compare them with last year’s.  Total shortfall for the five funds for the first two months is $43,888.57  or 5.3% of anticipated $827,491 revenues.  Should these revenue shortfalls continue at the same rate,  the annual shortfall would be six-fold or $263,331.

Last year [FY 2009] the revenue projections were considerably higher.  A shortfall of approximately $45,000 had occurred at this point in  2009.  FY2010 projections are very low compared to 2009 yet the 2010 shortfalls continue at the 2009 rate. 

Will the Boone County Board do anything to keep its budget within bounds?  Last year I repeatedly heard that a 5% budget imbalance was sufficient to reopen the budget.  The 2010 revenue shortfall for these five funds  currently exceed  5%.  The 2010 budget anticipates a total revenue to the General Fund from all sources of $13,382,101.  The $263,331 shortfall is  2% of the General Fund Revenue.  Are there additional shortfalls? Are there expenditures not budgeted?

2009----------------------------2010

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

 

2010 Shortfall $1,412.51  which is 1.1 % of projected 2 month income from this source.

2010 Shortfall $6,923.61 which is 5.1 % of 2 month revenue from this source.

2010 shortfall is $14, 822.37 which is 6.3% of the 2 month revenue  from this source.

2010 shortfall is $ 20,286.46 which is 4.8% of the  2 month revenue from this source.

2010 shortfall is  $414.61 which is .5% of the 2 month revenue from this source.