Question of the Month: What are the fees if my dog is impounded for running at large?

Winter Warming Centers for Boone County

 

Belvidere could change way school board is elected - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Ben Stanley
Rockford Register Star
Posted Oct. 29, 2014 @ 8:00 am
Updated at 10:23 AM

BELVIDERE — A proposition to change the way Belvidere Board of Education members are elected will be on the Nov. 4 ballot.

As it stands, four of the board’s seven members must live in Belvidere Township and three must come from the four remaining townships in the district. The proposition is to elect all board members at-large, which means it wouldn’t matter where board members live as long as they reside within the school district.

Ten of the 13 school districts in Boone and Winnebago counties elect school board members at-large, according to Boone Winnebago Regional Office of Education Office Manager Tom McCullough. Belvidere, Durand and Rockford school districts are the only three that elect board members differently. Voters in Durand will also be asked this election whether or not all school board members should be elected at-large.

Superintendent Michael Houselog said that one reason the Belvidere School District decided to pursue at-large elections is to make it easier to appoint board members in case of a resignation.

Currently, the district must fill a vacancy with someone who meets the same residency requirement.

“For vacancies, it’s made it very difficult,” Houselog said of the district’s current school board election system. “In the past, we haven’t had people to fill those positions. We had people ready and able but they weren’t from the right township.”

Boone County Board member Bill Pysson said that he suggested the district pursue at-large elections for Belvidere Board of Education members nearly two decades ago, but has since changed his mind and would rather keep the current election system in place.

“I find it very surprising that the board is trying to do this,” Pysson said. “There’s an overrepresentation of board members that reside in the Belvidere North high school subdistrict ... Belvidere High School does not really have a representative on the board.”

According to Pysson, the current township residency restrictions were put in place more than 50 years ago when several subdistricts in School District 100 merged.

“When they merged, some of those townships really wanted to make sure that their voice would be heard, so the requirement that there be some non-Belvidere Township representation was put into the merger requirements,” Pysson said.

Above is from:  Belvidere could change way school board is elected - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

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Comment from this article on  District 100 Watchdog: http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/belvidere-could-change-way-school-board.html

Allison Reid-Niemiec said...

The concern over 50 years ago was to make sure non-Belvidere township had a "voice" on the school board. The same concern is just as valid today as it was 50 years ago. In regards to Superintendent Houselog's statements, I offer the following. Since June 2010, there have been 4 board resignations: 1) Ted Stenerson in June 2010 (seat filled by Robert Torbert appointed July 2010); 2) John Powell in Aug. 2012 (seat filled by Larry Cunningham appointed Sept. 2012); 3) Larry Cunningham in June 2013 (seat filled by Ron Ramos appointed July 2013); and 4) Ron Ramos (seat filled by Jason Colson appointed Oct. 2013). The fact that the seats were each filled by the board, within 30 days, directly refutes Superintendent Houselog’s statement, “In the past, we haven’t had people to fill those positions. We had people ready and able but they weren’t from the right township.” Is Superintendent Houselog saying the individuals that filled the vacated seats were not “ready and able?” I am also unsure who Superintendent Houselog is referring to as “we” in his statement. “We” cannot be the school board as he is not a voting board member, nor does he have the authority to appoint members to open seats. As for the Boone/Winnebago Regional Office of Education Office Manager Tom McCullough’s statement that 10 of 13 school districts in Boone/Winnebago elect board members at-large, this is inaccurate. There is a minimum of 4 districts that do not vote at-large. Pecatonica #321 being another district that is divided into townships and elected by township. The remaining 9 of 13 districts vote at-large, but with election differences between each district. Some vote at-large, but do so because they are not divided into townships (e.g., Hononegah #207); some districts are divided into townships, vote-at large, but are restricted by total number of members from any one township (e.g., Winnebago #323); some are not divided into townships, vote at-large, but have a limit on number of members from a congressional district (e.g., North Boone #200); and some districts are divided into townships and vote at-large (e.g., Prairie Hill #133). Outside of Boone/Winnebago County, Marengo #154 and Genoa Kingston #424 both vote at-large, but are also not divided into townships. The rationale for this proposition is both unsupported by facts and is inaccurate. Why are we, as taxpayers and community members, being told untruths? Why is this an acceptable practice? What is the true rationale and what are we not being told?

October 29, 2014 at 10:04 PM

Letter: Vote ‘no’ on District 100 ballot question - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

Posted Oct. 29, 2014 @ 8:00 am

The Nov. 4 District 100 proposition to change school board elections is familiar to few people.

Please note: the proposition — the last question on the ballot — must receive the majority of votes in each township. If passed: all seven board seats will be up for election in April 2015; three members elected in April 2015 will serve two-year terms; all seven board members could live in the same neighborhood; there will be no guaranteed board seats for small townships; and board composition based on statistical representation of District 100 population will no longer be guaranteed.

Presently, two of the seven board seats represent Belvidere High School and its feeder schools. At this time, those are two of three seats guaranteed to townships outside Belvidere Township.

Currently, Belvidere Township (the largest populated township) is guaranteed 57 percent (four board seats) and the smaller townships are guaranteed 43 percent (three shared board seats). The current board is an accurate representation (58 percent to 42 percent) of the District 100 population.

If passed in future elections, candidates from Belvidere Township could potentially dominate and garner more votes than those available in smaller townships.

Vote “no” on Nov. 4 to ensure all township voices are represented and not silenced.

— Allison Reid-Niemiec, Belvidere

Above is from:  Letter: Vote ‘no’ on District 100 ballot question - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

District 100 School Referendum

If the proposition passes on Nov. 4th, ALL school board members COULD live within a 1 mile radius of each other. Do you feel communication, consistency, and compliance would be compromised if this was to happen?

 

Above are from PASS—Parents Advocating Students and Staff.  SEE: https://www.facebook.com/parentspass

Job Vacancy Notice - Boone County Public Defender

Job Vacancy Notice - Boone County Public Defender

The Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court is accepting applications for the position of Boone County Public Defender.  The application period will remain open until November 21, 2014 at 5:00 pm.  Full details are contained in this Job Vacancy Notice - Boone County Public Defender.   The required application form is provided below:

Application Form for Appointment for the Office of Boone County Public Defender

The above is taken from: 

http://www.illinois17th.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=387&Itemid=1

 

 

        SEE:  https://www.facebook.com/cathy.ward.98?fref=ts

Cathy Ward

19 mins ·

BOONE COUNTY JOB OF A LIFETIME OPENING ANNOUNCED! - PUBLIC DEFENDER - Our public defender, Azhar Minhaus is retiring in early January. He has held this job for many years. It pays about $150,000 a year plus benefits, good vacations, insurance, etc. most likely a job for life. Never to run for office. Winner is appointed by our Circuit Judges. Must be a licensed attorney by the state of Illinois. Filing deadline is Nov. 21. Just recently announced. Applications available on line or from 17th District Court Houses in Boone and Winnebago counties. I know of three who have applied, so the word is spreading. Love to have a woman in this position. But want the best for this important post. Applicants do not have to live in Boone or Winnebago counties, just have an attorney license by the state of Illinois. Please spread the word

GARTMAN: We're Witnessing The End Of The Oil Era - Yahoo Finance

 

Earlier on Monday, it had been reported that Gartman saw crude oil going to $10 a barrel, but he backed a bit off that claim in his appearance on Monday, saying that maybe next time he ought to be a bit more circumspect when he talks to CNBC's producers.

But the central spirit of Gartman's not quite $10 call was still intact, with Gartman saying simply that the era of oil is over. At one point, Gartman went so far as to compare crude oil to whale oil, which became obsolete following the advent of crude in the early 20th century. 

In discussing the "end of oil," Gartman referenced news from Lockheed Martin earlier this month that the aerospace giant has made a technological breakthrough in developing a power source based on nuclear fusion. And while Business Insider's Jessica Orwig reported that some in the scientific community are skeptical of this breakthrough, Gartman sees the potential in this breakthrough as being something of a death knell for oil.

Gartman also referenced other factors weighing on oil prices, namely a supply glut and a market that is contango.

A market is said to be in contango when the futures contract for a commodity is more than what the expected price will be in the future.

Read the entire story by clicking on the following:  GARTMAN: We're Witnessing The End Of The Oil Era - Yahoo Finance

Ray Pendzinski remembered as a friend to the community

 

By Tricia Goecks
Editor
POPLAR GROVE – Boone County lost a friend when Ray Pendzinski passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 22 of cardiac arrest.
He is survived by his children Brittany Ann and Jordan Ray; partner and best friend Jennifer Riley; mother, Rita Pendzinski-Corl; siblings Karen Stone, Gail (Rick) Kopacz, Lois (Howard) Prather, Dan Pendz...inski, Alan (Heather) Corl. He was formerly married to Krystal. Nieces and nephews, Kristin, Tony, Michael, Steven, Danielle, Drew, Grace, Ryan and Blake. Adored by, Patrick, Michael and Alexandra. Predeceased by his father Raymond Pendzinski Sr., and Step-father James Corl.

Pendzinski was known for his commitment to Boone County, constant smile, and confidence. A natural leader, Pendzinski sought positions in which he could make a difference in his community, whether it be serving the people of Boone County as an elected official, serving his brethren at IBEW Local 364, or leading the efforts of his fellow electricians in working on the Habitat for Humanity home, or helping with the Belvidere Boone County Food Pantry.

Pendzinski was running for an open seat on Boone County Board District 2. Other candidates in the race are Francis Eagan, Jeff Carlisle, and Karl Johnson. Pendzinski’s name will remain on the ballot for the Nov. 4 election. “If he wins, then his position would be considered a vacancy and the Boone County Democratic Party would fill his vacancy,” Boone County Clerk Mary Steurer explained. Voters can cast their vote now through Nov. 1 at the Boone County Clerk’s Office. Election Day for the mid-term elections is Nov. 4.

An electrician by trade, Pendzinski was a member of the IBEW for the past 19 years. Pendzinski served on the IBEW’s executive board from 2004 – 2007 and served a term from 2007 – 2010 as the union’s vice president. In addition, Pendzinski served as the IBEW’s press secretary.

“Ray was a good guy,” Tom Sink, business manager at IBEW 364 said. “He always had a smile on his face. He was a good electrician.”
“Local 364 mourns the loss of Brother Ray Pendzinski and extends their condolences to his family.”

Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain remembered Pendzinski as a good friend. “He was a friend and colleague. He truly was a gentleman - which is rare in today’s world,” Chamberlain said. “I liked Ray a lot and he will be missed.”Chamberlain got to know Pendzinski as a colleague when they both served on Belvidere City Council. Pendzinski was the fourth ward alderman from 2007 – 2011. “Even if we had different opinions on a specific issue, we could always work together,” Chamberlain recalled.

 
“I worked for his campaign when he ran for state legislature. That was the first time I met him,” Boone County board member Bill Pysson said. “For a grass root person, he was so able and confident.”
Pendzinski ran against State Rep. Joe Sosnowski in 2010 in the State Congressional race for the 69th district. “"I am saddened by the sudden passing of this community leader,” Rep. Sosnowski said. “My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family."

Boone County Board Chairman Bob Wahlberg recalled Pendzinski as a kind man. “Everyone in the county has his family and friends in their thoughts and prayers,” Wahlberg said.

Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 am Monday, Oct. 27 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory (Mulford Chapel) 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford. Burial in St. James Cemetery Belvidere. Visitation from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 26 at Fitzgerald Funeral home & Crematory (Mulford Chapel). Visitation will continue Monday morning from 9:30 until the time of service Monday. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Habitat for Humanity or the Belvidere Food Pantry.

Football Across Boone County

 

Belvidere Daily Republican

7 hours ago

Congratulations to Belvidere North, Belvidere and North Boone. All three teams won this weekend and are advancing to post-season play.
In case anyone is wondering why there has been a lack of coverage for Belvidere North or sports other than football, the cold harsh reality is that I was not able to find anyone to cover the games. My budget for reporters is EXTREMELY limited. Unless parents (or g...randparents or super fans) offer to write about a team, it pretty much leaves me to cover sports by myself and I cannot be all things to all people.
And after working close to 80 hours a week seven days a week, I am exhausted. I literally collapse by Friday evening and I struggle to stay awake while tucking the four year old into bed. One more than one occasion in the last few months, I have awakened to the sensation of the four year old putting a blanket on me and kissing my cheek because I fell asleep mid-song.
If any parents (or grandparents or super fans) would like to cover the team of their choice, I would happily welcome it.

Balgemann on Facebook: New Administrator for Poplar Grove/Higher Electric Rates across Boone County

Poplar Grove may hire help to find new administrator
By Bob Balgemann
Reporter
POPLAR GROVE - Village officials are moving toward hiring a consultant to help them find a new village administrator. But they may have jumped the gun by forwarding resumes to a former Machesney Park executive whom they have not officially approved.
Questions arose during Monday night's village board meeting, resulti...ng in a brief delay in retaining the services of Bob Mullins. The primary stumbling point was the lack of specifics as to the scope of work to be done for $50 an hour, not to exceed a total of $1,500.
Trustee Ron Quimby brought up the need for a contract that would contain those kinds of details.
It had been stated at the Oct. 6 finance committee meeting that Mullins would provide Poplar Grove with the names of five candidates. There were no other details.
Trustee Jeff Goings said he couldn't understand why the village was going to spend money on a regional search, when Village President John Neitzel and Trustee Don Bawden earlier conducted a national search at no charge. Their efforts led to the employment of Mark Lynch, who resigned effective May 31 after the board voted 4-3 to retain him for another year.
"That took us an enormous amount of time," Neitzel recalled. "He (Mullins) has the local expertise, which is important."
Mullins was Machesney Park's administration and finance director for 10 of the 11 years he worked there. He was the first village administrator before retiring in 2011. "He is well respected in the area," Bawden said.
Trustees Owen Costanza and Goings expressed concern that some resumes already had been sent to Mullins. That caused Village Attorney Jim Stevens to say that no longer should be done. "We've got the cart before the horse a little bit," he said.
Rather than have to call a special meeting, the board voted 4-2 with Costanza and Goings dissenting to allow Neitzel to sign a contract with Mullins, once one is received and approved by the attorney.

BELVIDERE TWP ELECTRIC BILLS TO SEE AN INCREASE
BELVIDERE - Belvidere Township residents are among the last in this area to see an increase in their monthly electric bills.
The board of trustees has agreed to remain in the electric aggregation program, renewing the kilowatt use rate at 7.14 cents per hour for the next 36 months. That's an increase of almost 2 cents an hour from the 5.229 that was in effect since the program started Jan. 1, 2013.
Township Supervisor Pat Murphy said under the lower rate, homeowners saved an average of $275 a year, with the township as a whole saving $450,000.
Boone County, the village of Machesney Park and Harlem Township also have approved rates considerably higher than what had been in effect for the past two years.
Karen Herbert, president and CEO of the Institute for 21st Century Energy, said the increase was because of new U.S. Environmental Protection Regulations (EPA).
She said the Obama Administration wants to reduce carbon emissions by 42 percent in 2030. But she added that a study showed more aggressive standards would increase American electric bills by $17 billion and cost 224,000 jobs nationwide. That while reducing global emissions by just 2 percent, far short of the announced goal.
"The president's war on coal will create a significant blow to the economy in exchange for very little environmental benefit," she said.
Information obtained by Boone County Administrator Ken Terrinoni stated the new regulations could cause the closing of 30 percent of the coal-fired electric plants in this country.

RR STAR Candidate Questionnaire

The RR Star requires voter to compare two candidates.  To date neither Mrs. Giesecke nor Mr. Larson have completed the survey.  Mrs. Giesecke was selected to be the second candidate only because two candidates are required to retrieve Bill Pysson’s responses.  To see if the two Republican candidates now have submitted their surveys go to:  http://e-rockford.com/voterguide/

Boone County Board District 1 Choose 2

Choose two candidates from below to compare.

• 

  Sherry Giesecke (Rep)

• 

  Raymond Larson (Rep)

• Bill Pysson (Dem) retired

Bill Pysson (Dem) retired

Sherry Giesecke (Rep)

Change Candidates

Social Media

Biographical Information

Age 65

Occupation Former teacher, bank auditor, veterans claims examiner, Viet-Nam era veteran.

Family Married Margaret Osbakken (1981); Daughter, Mary Anne, living and working in Chicago. Son, Michael, working in Seattle, WA.

Campaign Address 9592 Denver Drive
Belvidere, Illinois

Campaign Phone (815) 544-5115

Website http://boonecountywatch.blogspot.com/

Email bill.pysson@gmail.com

Education/degrees earned BA in Education, MA in Economics, MBA in Finance

Why are you running for Boone County Board?

Bill Pysson I seek re-election to the Boone County Board because there are many improvements still needed for our county government. The accounting function is criticized each year by our external auditors for not having written procedures. Documentation of vehicle usage, citizen’s complaints and animal kennel occupancy are rudimentary if not, non-existent. Government is a series of checks and balances—the county board controls funding to the elected officials however thorough questioning of their budgets and financial actions does not always occur. The county board makes decisions with too few comparisons regarding costs of our county’s functions versus comparable counties. Revenues have not returned to pre-2008 levels; costs are escalating particularly in the policing and public safety areas. More questions need to be asked for county government to improve.

Friends and neighbors, both Democrats and Republicans, have asked me to run again.

Sherry Giesecke Candidate response is not yet available.

Why should voters vote for you?

Bill Pysson I have a track record of questioning, investigating and taking a stand on issues. I have taken actions to improve county government. The following is a partial list of my accomplishments: Required bidding for county owned farmland. Regular updating of changes in the county code are now available on the county’s website. Staff answering Freedom of Information Requests now have completed the state mandated training. Employees supervised by the County Administrator now have annual written reviews. For the first time in seven years a physical inventory of all county property was taken and a perpetual inventory is being devised. Public disclosure of employee salaries and benefits is made by name rather than position. Voluntary and paid positions in county government are being posted on the county website. I needed help from fellow board members to accomplish these improvements and sometimes there were major obstacles from leadership.There is much more to do. VOTE FOR BILL PYSSON

Sherry Giesecke Candidate response is not yet available.

Do you support larger property setback rules that would allow for wind turbine development in Boone County? Why or why not?

Bill Pysson The wording of the question confuses the issue. The current ordinance only sets the "minimum of minimum" setbacks. Under the ordinance each wind turbine will require a special use permit which will take into account the unique geographic conditions of each turbine and its effect on the health and welfare of our citizens. Each turbine will have individual positioning which under most conditions will greatly exceed the ordinance's minimum setbacks. For more than two years anti-wind forces have attempted to change the stated minimums to much larger setbacks which would effectively outlawed wind turbines in Boone County. I voted "NO" to these larger setbacks. Our current ordinance is designed to use the special use process to insure safe positioning of turbines. Such positioning can occur only when an actual application is received. My position is nearly identical to the recommendation of the professional staff of the Boone County Planning and Zoning Department.

Fox News host caught red handed lying about fake voting scandal - Orlando liberal | Examiner.com

 

Play

Fox News host falsely reports on voter fraud in Colorado.

youtube.com

With less than two weeks away from the 2014 midterm elections, Republicans are expected to make gains in the Senate, possibly enough to put them in the majority. While most polls show this as the most likely outcome, one Fox News host has already laid out an excuse if the Republicans don't get their way.

youtube.com

The topic of voter fraud has become a very partisan issue in American politics. Republicans have introduced, and in some cases, signed into law questionable voter ID laws that they claim help curb potential voter fraud. Democrats don't see it that way, and instead criticize Republicans for engaging in voter suppression by holding down a large majority of voters who would normally vote for Democratic candidates. The topic of voter fraud, or voter suppression, is a mainstay on Fox News, especially during election season. This was the case earlier this week when a controversial report was made on the network.

It happened on Tuesday night on the October 21 edition of "The Kelly File" on Fox News. Host Megyn Kelly reported on an election law that the Democratic governor of Colorado had signed over a year ago. Kelly claimed that the law "literally allows residents to print ballots from their home computers, then encourages them to turn ballots over to 'collectors'" Kelly commented that it seemed that this was the Democrats way of doing away with traditional polling places, sarcastically saying "what could go wrong?"

The problem with Kelly's report is that it turned out to be false and misleading. This was called out on the October 24 edition of "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MSNBC. Host Rachel Maddow said that Kelly and Fox News simply"made it up." The local NBC affiliate was quick to fact check Fox News over their report and said that "Fox News host Megyn Kelly's program incorrectly told viewers that Colorado voters are now able to print ballots using their home computers and vote by turning them in." NBC News points out that the only people allowed to print ballots are Military members and overseas voters who can obtain a ballot by email, to which they can print it out and return it with a signed affidavit by traditional mail.

Fox News has often been accused of promoting Republican ideology, while pushing back against policies supported by Democrats. Republicans are expected to gain seats in congress this upcoming election, but if they don't, it won't be because of alleged "scandals" out in Colorado.

Above is from:  Fox News host caught red handed lying about fake voting scandal - Orlando liberal | Examiner.com

X

Vacancies in Boone County Government

 

 

AS OF OCTOBER 25, 2014

 

Employment Opportunities

Home › Employment & Appointments

Boone County government offers a wide and diverse number of direct services to its residents, including law enforcement, correction and detention of law violators, support for the criminal justice system, direct health care, maintenance of essential records, highway maintenance, property assessments, courtroom operations, building and planning services, tax collection for other local governments, and election administration among others. From these many services come many opportunities for employment.

Boone County Government job application can be found here: Job Application

CURRENT OPENINGS:  There are no current openings at this time.

APPOINTMENT VACANCIES:

The following are volunteer Boards of the County of Boone that have vacancies:

CAPRON RESCUE SQUAD DISTRICT

Three (3) vacancies for a term that will expire the 2nd Monday of December, 2018

Interested parties are asked to send a letter and/or resume expressing your interest and qualifications to Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008. Please respond by November 14, 2014 to assure being considered.

 

Interestingly there is no notification of the vacancy of the Clerk of the Circuit Court which will become open with the resignation of  Nora Ohlsen effective  January 1, 2015. The Administrative Committee of the Boone County Board will be have hearing on November 3, 2014.  SEE:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/circuit-court-clerk-resigns.html

 

Raymond "Ray" W. Pendzinski

Obituary for Raymond "Ray" W. Pendzinski

Poplar Grove—Raymond (Ray) W. Pendzinski, 50 of Poplar Grove died Early Wednesday morning at home. Born April 3, 1964 in Chicago to Raymond and Rita Pendzinski Sr. Member of IBEW Local 364 and Moose Lodge # 295. Actively involved in Habitat for Humanity and the Belvidere Food Pantry. Former Belvidere Alderman. Later in life Ray developed a love for nature and birds.

Survived by Children, Brittany Ann and Jordan Ray; Partner and best friend Jennifer Riley; Mother, Rita Pendzinski-Corl; siblings,… Karen Stone, Gail (Rick) Kopacz, Lois (Howard) Prather, Dan Pendzinski, Alan (Heather) Corl Formerly married to Krystal; Nieces and nephews, Kristin, Tony, Michael, Steven, Danielle, Drew, Grace, Ryan and Blake. Adored by, Patrick, Michael and Alexandra. Predeceased by his father Raymond Pendzinski Sr., and Step-father James Corl.

Funeral Service 10:30 am Monday, October 27, 2014 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory (Mulford Chapel) 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford, Il. Burial in St. James Cemetery Belvidere, Il.. Visitation from 2 to 6 pm Sunday, October 26, 2014 at Fitzgerald Funeral home & Crematory (Mulford Chapel). Visitation will continue Monday morning from 9:30 until the time of service Monday. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Habitat for Humanity or the Belvidere Food Pantry.

Above is taken from:  http://www.fitzgeraldfuneralhome.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=346668#/obituaryInfo

 

 

Craig Schultz (D) District 3 endorses BILL PYSSON

facebook

Craig Schultz mentioned you in a comment.

Craig wrote: "Why should you vote for Bill! I will try and tell you! 1) If you voted for me, in the past, and believe in the things that I try to represent, vote for Bill! 2) If you want some one that will protect your rights and privilege's to the same, vote for Bill!! 3) If you want some one that will speak out, for you! Vote for Bill Pysson! I liken, Bill, to Teddy Roosevelt, "speak softly, but carry a big stick"! "

 

Thanks, Craig—Bill Pysson

PASS Responds to District 100 Referenda

Dear Community Representatives and Community Members:

We, the executive board of PASS (Parents Advocating for Students and Staff), would like to request a few minutes of your time to review the following information. It is our intention to equip community members from all townships with the tools to make well-informed decisions when voting in the Nov. 4, 2014 election. Our main focus is the proposition/referendum which could significantly change the way in which school board members are elected as it directly correlates to fair representation for our students and staff of District #100. 

The proposition will be listed on the ballot as follows: Shall the members of the Board of Education of Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 be elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the District?

The proposition, if passed, has the potential to eradicate school board representation from smaller, outlying townships and the current guaranteed 3 seats would no longer exist. PASS is significantly concerned with this potential change. We feel the views and concerns of community members living outside the City of Belvidere and Belvidere Township may be quite different as they may relate to other impactful issues such as school start/end times; curricular programming; school closures; and building sites/usage. We do not want to lose your input on issues such as these.

The following information is being provided to increase awareness as it pertains to the proposition/referendum:

1. It must receive the majority of votes in EACH township to pass.

2. It is the last question on the ballot.

3. If the proposition passes, ALL of the following will happen: 

a. ALL 7 school board seats will be up for election in April 2015.

b. 3 of the 7 board members elected in April 2015 will serve a 2-year term.

c. ALL 7 board members COULD live within the same neighborhood and/or township.

d. There will be no unopposed campaigns.

e. There will be NO guaranteed board seats for the smaller, less populated townships.

f. Board composition based on statistical representation of the Belvidere population will NO longer be guaranteed.

g. Guaranteed representation for each of the two high schools will cease to exist.

4. If the proposition does not pass, the following will happen:

a. 3 of the 7 school board seats will be up for election in April 2015.

b. 2 of the 3 seats up for election will be representatives outside of Belvidere Township (those two seats are currently filled by Jason Colson and Dan Wilson).

c. 1 of the 3 seats up for election will be a representative from Belvidere Township (that seat is currently filled by President Mike Rathbun).

d. The 3 members elected in April 2015 will serve a 4-year term.

In the previous 2013 election, 2 of the 5 board seats up for election were guaranteed to townships outside of Belvidere Township. The 2 candidates ran unopposed. Those two seats, currently filled by Kelly Diamond and Jason Colson, are the only two seats currently representing BHS and its feeder schools.

In order to obtain the information regarding the upcoming proposition/referendum, the following individuals have been contacted with their stated purpose and/or involvement:

1. Mary Steurer, Boone County Clerk,for number of registered voters.

2. Michael Houselog, District #100 Superintendent,for district rationale for proposition.

3. Regional Office of Education for Winnebago and Boone Counties for information regarding District #100's process for proposition recommendation to the board.

Please see attachments as we have included the compiled information for your review.

We would encourage you to -

1. Review this email and all attached documents.

2. Contact us through email or Facebook with any questions.

3. Get to know PASS at www.facebook.com/parentspass.

4. Share this email with fellow voters and community members.

5. Vote in the Nov. 4th election.

Thank you for your time and attention to this concerning matter. We support the true meaning of Belvidere Community Unit School District and are committed to consistency in township equality for board representation.

Thank you,

Lisa Whitcomb, PASS President

Racheal Morse, PASS Vice-president

Allison Reid-Niemiec, PASS Secretary/Compliance Officer

 

EMAIL bill.pysson@gmail.com and I will send the attachments.

Why Voter ID Laws Aren’t Really about Fraud | Government / Elections / Politics | FRONTLINE | PBS

 

Why Voter ID Laws Aren’t Really about Fraud

October 20, 2014, 6:14 pm ET by Sarah Childress

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Voters going to the polls in Texas starting this week will have to show one of a few specific forms of photo ID under a controversial new law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court over the weekend.

The Texas law — along with 15 other voter ID laws passed since 2010 — was billed as a way to prevent people from impersonating eligible voters at the polls.

But voter ID laws don’t address what appears to be a more common source of voter fraud: mail-in absentee ballots.

A FRONTLINE analysis of voting laws nationwide found that only six of the 31 states that require ID at the polls apply those standards to absentee voters, who are generally whiter and older than in-person voters. And two states with strict photo ID policies for in-person voters — Rhode Island and Georgia — have recently passed bills that allow anyone to mail in a ballot.

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Voter fraud generally rarely happens. When it does, election law experts say it happens more often through mail-in ballots than people impersonating eligible voters at the polls. An analysis by News21, a journalism project at Arizona State University, found 28 cases of voter fraud convictions since 2000. Of those, 14 percent involved absentee ballot fraud. Voter impersonation, the form of fraud that voter ID laws are designed to prevent, made up only 3.6 percent of those cases. (Other types included double voting, the most common form, at 25 percent, and felons voting when they were prohibited from doing so. But neither of those would be prevented by voter ID laws, either.)

Mark Obenshain, a Republican Virginia state senator who was the primary sponsor of his state’s voter ID law, said that lawmakers tried to balance improving security with maintaining access to the ballot for elderly and disabled people.

“There are good arguments that there are gaps with absentee ballots,” he said. “But the issue is, how can we close that gap without unduly burdening the right to vote?” Obenshain said that these voters might not have access to a scanner or Xerox machine to make a copy of their ID.

And, because absentee ballots must be sent to a voter’s registered address, they are still relatively secure, Obenshain said. “It doesn’t warrant making the voters jump through unnecessary hoops.”

Who Votes Absentee?

Absentee voters tend to be older and whiter than in-person voters. In 2012, nearly half, or 46 percent, of mail-in voters were aged 60 and older, and more than 75 percent were white, according to an analysis by Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida who tracks demographic trends in voting. Older white Americans generally are more likely to vote Republican.

African-Americans, who overwhelmingly vote Democratic, are less likely to use mail-in ballots. Although they make up about 13 percent of the population, only 8 percent voted by mail in 2012.

Either way, most states — nine — of the 16 that have passed stricter voter ID laws since 2010 only allow voters to mail in ballots if they have an excuse, such as an illness, disability or old age.

Who Is Impacted by Voter ID Laws?

Laws that require photo ID at the polls vary, but the strictest laws limit the forms of acceptable documentation to only a handful of cards. For example, in Texas, voters must show one of seven forms of state or federal-issue photo ID, with a valid expiration date: a driver’s license, a personal ID card issued by the state, a concealed handgun license, a military ID, citizenship certificate or a passport. The name on the ID must exactly match the one on the voter rolls.

African-Americans and Latinos are more likely to lack one of these qualifying IDs, according to several estimates. Even when the state offers a free photo ID, these voters, who are disproportionately low-income, may not be able to procure the underlying documents, such as a birth certificate, to obtain one.

In Texas, for example, challengers to the law cited an African-American grandmother who could not afford the $25 to purchase her birth certificate to get an ID, and an elderly African-American veteran and longtime voter who was turned away at the polls in 2013 despite having three types of ID, because none qualified under the new law.

And new research from the Government Accountability Office, an independent agency that prepares reports for members of Congress, suggests that voter ID laws are having an impact at the polls. Turnout dropped among both young people and African-Americans in Kansas and Tennessee after new voter ID requirements took effect in 2012, the study found.

Six of the 16 states that have passed voter ID laws since 2010 have a documented history of discriminating against minority voters. All but one of those states’ laws were put in place after the Supreme Court overturned a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that required them to seek approval from the Justice Department for any voting-law changes.

Courts have so far blocked three ID laws. A state judge struck down Pennsylvania’s law earlier this year, determining that it discriminated against low-income and minority voters. Two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Wisconsin’s from taking effect for this election, and last week, a state court declared Arkansas’ voter ID law unconstitutional. Lawsuits are currently pending against similar laws in North Carolina and Alabama, though they won’t be decided before the November elections.

Voter ID laws have all been sponsored by Republicans and passed overwhelmingly by Republican legislatures. A conservative U.S. circuit judge, Richard Posner, in a recent scathing critique of these laws, calling the expressed concern about fraud a “a mere fig leaf” and that they instead “appear to be aimed at limiting voting by minorities, particularly blacks.”

“There is only one motivation for imposing burdens on voting that are ostensibly designed to discourage voter-impersonation fraud,” Posner wrote, “…and that is to discourage voting by persons likely to vote against the party responsible for imposing the burdens.”

Obenshain, the Virginia senator, said his law wasn’t about keeping voters from the polls. “There’s only one class of people who are going to be discouraged from voting, and that’s fraudulent voters.”

Why Voter ID Laws Aren’t Really about Fraud | Government / Elections / Politics | FRONTLINE | PBS

My View: Time to the put the brakes on gaming expansion - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

My View: Time to the put the brakes on gaming expansion

Tom Swoik is executive director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association.

 

 

Posted Oct. 18, 2014 @ 2:00 pm

It has been two years since the first legal video slot machines were installed in Illinois. In just 24 months more than 18,000 slot machines have been installed at more than 4,700 locations. As a result of this growth, Illinois now has double the locations licensed to conduct gaming than Nevada.

While the video gaming industry wants to proclaim success, we should not gloss over the challenges caused by this explosion of gaming. As with any law, a number of entrepreneurs have taken advantage of loopholes that allow slot machines in “casino cafes” in strip malls, laundromats and gas stations. At these locations, important rules that prevent compulsive gamblers from playing the slots are impossible to enforce.

Gaming at these large chains of casino cafes as well as some of the other locations was not the intent of video gaming. As officials weigh reasonable regulations to reign in the excesses of the law, they should also rule out further gaming expansion.

State tax revenues generated by neighborhood slots are going to pay for things already built under the 2009 capital program. While the video gaming industry touts the tax revenue the state is receiving, they want you to overlook that casino taxes, which are earmarked for education, are falling as a result of this expansion of gaming into our neighborhoods. Given the prevalence of video slots, casino admissions are down 1.2 million from last year and total taxes generated have fallen $29 million. Compared to the same point in 2012, before video slots were active, casino admissions are down 2.1 million and total taxes generated have fallen by $57 million.

The explosion of video gaming is proof that the state can drastically increase gaming positions, yet end up with little or less gaming tax revenue for education. Despite all of this, calls to further expand gaming are coming from Illinois’ horse racing industry. They claim slots at tracks will be the savior of their sport, overlooking the broader national decline in the popularity of the pastime. If tracks were given slots, tax revenue for education from casinos would further decline.

The calls for assistance from the racing industry are nothing new. Over the years they have asked lawmakers to change laws to help rekindle the sport in Illinois, ranging from intertrack wagering, simulcasting, advanced deposit wagering and a 1999 tax break package. The industry’s most audacious request was for direct cash infusions from state funds to reverse its fortunes. Over the past two years, the racing industry has received $167 million in state tax dollars to revive its sport.

In 2012, tracks received $144 million from a special tax assessment on some casinos that proponents claimed would propel Illinois’ tracks to second or third in the nation. It’s clear that didn’t happen as track revenue fell, even after that sizable cash infusion.

Page 2 of 2 - Then last June Illinois’ racing industry received another $23 million from the state treasury. That’s money that wasn’t spent on school construction, teachers or helping offset property tax increases for education.

After all this money was infused into the sport, the racing industry says they still can’t make it work. So after burning through $167 million in incentives, the industry wants to pass a large gaming expansion bill that uses thousands of slot machines to subsidize the sport that in turn will take money away from local government budgets and classrooms. This is something we simply cannot afford.

Tom Swoik is executive director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association.

Read more: http://www.rrstar.com/article/20141018/Opinion/141019355#ixzz3GsHT1NXZ

 

Richest person in the state

 

 

The above is taken from:  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-filthy-rich-50-meet-the-richest-person-in-each-us-state-2014-10-17?siteid=yhoof2

Early Voting Hours/Late Registration & Voting

For the November 4, 2014 General  Election, early voting will begin on October 20, 2014 and end November 1, 2014. Early voting will be conducted at the Boone County Clerk’s Office, 1212 Logan Avenue, Suite 103, Belvidere, Illinois, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday thru Friday and Saturday morning November 1 from 9 A.M. until Noon.   For more information about early voting and absentee voting please contact the Boone County Clerk’s Office at 544-3103.
Mary S Steurer
Boone County Clerk

Above is from:  http://www.boonecountyil.org/news/early-voting-hours-0

 

 

October 7 is the last day (see the grace period below) to register to vote for the November 4th General Election

Home › October 7 is the last day to register to vote for the November 4th General Election

Mary S. Steurer, Boone County Clerk, announced that Tuesday, October 7, is the last day to register to vote for the November 4th General Election.  You may register in the County Clerk’s Office Monday and Tuesday from 8:30am – 5:00pm.  You must have 2 forms of identification, one must have your current address.  If you missed the October 7th deadline you may grace period register from October 8th through November 4th in the County Clerk’s Office Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. The same identification is required but you must also be prepared to vote at that same time.

Above is taken in part from:  http://www.boonecountyil.org/news/october-7-last-day-register-vote-november-4th-general-election

Circuit Court Clerk Resigns

Dear County Board Members;

I received a letter of resignation from Circuit Clerk Nora Ohlsen today effective December 31, 2014.  I plan to notify the media immediately and advertise for her replacement as Nora is requesting sufficient transition time with the new Circuit Clerk.   I will request that a letter of interest from applicants be submitted to me on or before October 31, 2014.  Once I have received these letters I plan to hold an interview process of selected candidates at the upcoming Administrative and Legislative Committee meeting on November 3, 2014.

I wish Nora well with her retirement and we will miss her service to Boone County.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me on my cell phone at 815-xxx xxxx.

Respectfully,

Bob Walberg

BW/jmd

 

Fusion Breakthrough? We'll Build Compact Reactor in a Year: Lockheed - NBC News.com

Click on the following to view the video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UlYClniDFkM

Re-Elect

BILL PYSSON

District One Boone County Board

                  

Bill’s initiatives over the last two years have improved your county government. These are a few of Bill’s accomplishments:

• · ·Suggested and succeeded in  having all appointed posts and jobs openings posted on county website
• · · Insured that the required disclosures of employee salaries are available to the public; by name not merely job description.
• · · Demanded the County Board Chairman posts all proposed appointments in advance. Based upon the requirement of the board’s advice and consent, Bill votes on no appointment unless they are posted in advanced on the website and the application letters of all applicants are made public. Unfortunately the chairman only sometimes complies with this request.
• · · Questioned why the county has not completed a physical inventory of property in over seven years. In 2014 such an inventory was finally completed and a perpetual inventory system is being devised.  County ordinances required such inventories yet the county failed to comply with the requirement for years.
• · · Written evaluation of employees supervised by the County Administrator will now occur once per year. Previously formal evaluations were not required and did not occur.
• · · Discovered that Freedom of Information (FOIA) Requests were sometimes completed incorrectly. Personnel completing requests had not completed the two hour on-line training. Personnel are now properly trained and hopefully all FOIA‘s now comply with statute.
• · · For the first time ever, farming of the 68 acres of cropland owned by the county went out to bid.  The high bid was approved by the county board in September 2014. Despite this year’s fall in commodity prices, the bid is $30 per acre higher ($280 vs. $250) than last year’s price which was privately negotiated.  Bill adamantly requested open bidding in 2013 and now it finally happened.
• · · The county code posted on the website was years out of date. The only means of knowing the actual code requirements was to contact county administration. Based upon Bill’s questioning --changes to the code will now be updated quarterly. 

It is the duty of the county board to provide general supervision of the Animal Services, Planning Enforcement, Building Department and the County Administrator’s office.  Bill criticized the county for not having written procedures for each of these activities.   Bill suggested written logs of zoning complaints, car usage, office calls and office contacts; unfortunately these suggestions have not been accepted.  Hopefully the accountability benefits of such rudimentary recordkeeping will eventually be accepted.

Bill’s two District One opponents are opposed to Wind Farms. Bill voted against the ordinance change because the proposed 2000 feet set back would effectively prohibited commercial wind turbines in the county. Wind turbines can be effectively regulated by the special use provision of the county zoning code. This position was recommended by the professional staff of the County Zoning Department.

--THERE IS MUCH MORE TO DO--

Re-Elect BILL PYSSON

District One Boone County Board

Compact Fusion · Lockheed Martin

 

Compact Fusion

It’s no secret that our Skunk Works® team often finds itself on the cutting edge of technology. As they work to develop a source of infinite energy, our engineers are looking to the biggest natural fusion reactor for inspiration – the sun. By containing the power of the sun in a small magnetic bottle, we are on the fast track to developing nuclear fusion reactors to serve the world’s ever-growing energy needs.

FUSION VS. FISSION

More than 50 years ago, nuclear power through fission was the excitement of its day. People tried using it to power almost everything, even planes. In the end, operational hurdles prevented fission from widespread use.

While fission continues to power our nuclear reactors today, fusion offers a cleaner, safer source of energy.

Fission occurs when one atom is split into two smaller fragments, creating an explosion of sorts and resulting in the release of heat energy.

Fusion is the process by which a gas is heated up and separated into its ions and electrons. When the ions get hot enough, they can overcome their mutual repulsion and collide, fusing together. When this happens, they release a lot of energy – about one million times more powerful than a chemical reaction and 3-4 times more powerful than a fission reaction.

Energy created through fusion is 3-4 times more powerful than the energy released by fission.

HOW COMPACT FUSION WORKS

Nuclear fusion is the process by which the sun works. Our concept will mimic that process within a compact magnetic container and release energy in a controlled fashion to produce power we can use.

A reactor small enough to fit on a truck could provide enough power for a small city of up to 100,000 people

Building on more than 60 years of fusion research, the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works approach to compact fusion is a high beta concept. This concept uses a high fraction of the magnetic field pressure, or all of its potential, so we can make our devices 10 times smaller than previous concepts. That means we can replace a device that must be housed in a large building with one that can fit on the back of a truck.

The compact size is the reason that we believe we will be able to create fusion technology quickly. The smaller the size of the device, the easier it is to build up momentum and develop it faster. Instead of taking five years to design and build a concept, it takes only a few months. If we undergo a few of these testing and refinement cycles, we will be able to develop a prototype within the same five year timespan.

To mimic the energy created by the sun and control it here on earth, we’re creating a concept that can be contained using a magnetic bottle. The bottle is able to handle extremely hot temperatures, reaching hundreds of millions of degrees. By containing this reaction, we can release it in a controlled fashion to create energy we can use.
The heat energy created using this compact fusion reactor will drive turbine generators by replacing the combustion chambers with simple heat exchangers. In turn, the turbines will then generate electricity or the propulsive power for a number of applications. 

Rapid design cycles allow for less conservative design choices, faster consideration of alternatives, less capital, and the ability to maintain momentum moving forward with constant progress.

Compact Fusion · Lockheed Martin

Lockheed says makes breakthrough on fusion energy project - Yahoo Finance

 

breakthrough in developing a power source based on nuclear fusion, and the first reactors, small enough to fit on the back of a truck, could be ready for use in a decade.

Tom McGuire, who heads the project, said he and a small team had been working on fusion energy at Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works for about four years, but were now going public to find potential partners in industry and government for their work.

Initial work demonstrated the feasibility of building a 100-megawatt reactor measuring seven feet by 10 feet, which could fit on the back of a large truck, and is about 10 times smaller than current reactors, McGuire told reporters.

In a statement, the company, the Pentagon's largest supplier, said it would build and test a compact fusion reactor in less than a year, and build a prototype in five years.

In recent years, Lockheed has gotten increasingly involved in a variety of alternate energy projects, including several ocean energy projects, as it looks to offset a decline in U.S. and European military spending.

View gallery

Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin Corp Marillyn Hewson speaks to journalists at a news conf …

Lockheed's work on fusion energy could help in developing new power sources amid increasing global conflicts over energy, and as projections show there will be a 40 percent to 50 percent increase in energy use over the next generation, McGuire said

Read more:  Lockheed says makes breakthrough on fusion energy project - Yahoo Finance

Monday, October 13: Columbus Day-- Government Holiday

 

 

Holidays in United States

Description

Public holiday in: Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, Wake Island

Boone County considering expanded breeding kennel regulations - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• By Ben Stanley
  Rockford Register Star
  Posted Oct. 9, 2014 @ 12:01 am
  Updated at 1:57 PM

BELVIDERE — Accusations of animal cruelty and abuse aimed at a Caledonia dog breeder earlier this year have raised questions concerning county regulations governing breeding kennels. As a result, several amendments have been proposed to extend kennel regulations in the county zoning ordinance that would ban stackable dog cages, ban wire or mesh flooring in dog cages and kennels, and require raised beds for each animal.

The proposed amendments moved through the county Planning Zoning and Building Committee on Wednesday night and will be reviewed by the Boone County Board on Oct. 15.

Before a text amendment to county ordinance can be approved by the County Board, it must first pass through the Regional Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning, Zoning and Building Committee.

Members of the PZB voted on Wednesday to bring the amendments before the board with the intention of eventually forming a committee to refine the amendments, which, once completed, would then be reintroduced to the ZBA, PZB and County Board for approval.

The process could take three to five months.

Read more by clicking on the following:  Boone County considering expanded breeding kennel regulations - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

China Just Overtook The US As The World's Largest Economy

By Mike Bird 2 hours ago

Chris Giles at the Financial Times flagged up the change. He also alerted us back in April this year that it was all about to happen.

Basically, the method used by the IMF adjusts for purchasing power parity, explained here.

The simple logic is that prices aren't the same in each country: A shirt will cost you less in Shanghai than San Francisco, so it's not entirely reasonable to compare countries without taking this into account. Though a typical person in China earns a lot less than the typical person in the US, simply converting a Chinese salary into dollars underestimates how much purchasing power that individual, and therefore that country, might have. The Economist's Big Mac Index is a great example of these disparities.

So the IMF measures both GDP in market exchange terms, and in terms of purchasing power. On the purchasing power basis, China is overtaking the US right about now and becoming the world's biggest economy.

Read More:  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-just-overtook-us-worlds-090801574.html

Keystone Be Darned: Canada Finds Oil Route Around Obama

 

…By Rebecca Penty, Hugo Miller, Andrew Mayeda and Edward Greenspon

…Thus was born Energy East, an improbable pipeline that its backers say has a highly probability of being built. It will cost C$12 billion ($10.7 billion) and could be up and running by 2018. Its 4,600-kilometer (2,858-mile) path, taking advantage of a vast length of existing and underused natural gas pipeline, would wend through six provinces and four time zones. It would be Keystone on steroids, more than twice as long and carrying a third more crude.

Supertanker Access

Its end point, a refinery in the blue-collar city of Saint John, New Brunswick, operated by a reclusive Canadian billionaire family, would give Canada’s oil-sands crude supertanker access to the same Louisiana and Texas refineries Keystone was meant to supply.

As well, Vladimir Putin’s provocations in Ukraine are spurring interest in that oil from Europe and, strange as it seems, Saint John provides among the fastest shipping times to India of any oil port in North America. Indian companies, having already sampled this crude, are interested in more. That means oil-sands production for the first time would trade in more than dribs and drabs on the international markets. With the U.S. virtually its only buyer, the captive Canadians are subject to price discounts of as much as $43 a barrel that cost Canada $20 billion a year.

Read more by clicking on the following:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-08/keystone-be-darned-canada-finds-oil-route-around-obama.html

State Gas Taxes

The federal government imposes a tax that amounts to about $0.18 per gallon. The money raised through this specific tax is used to finance major repairs to interstate highways and bridges, as well as roads through national parks and other public infrastructure. Recently, the issues surrounding the desperate state of the nation’s road and bridge network have led many to believe that a tax hike might be in order to address the crumbling roads, freeways, and bridges unless another solution is proposed.

On a state level, the tax situation varies wildly from state-to-state. Automotive resource Mojo Motors examined a study recently that broke down the gas prices in each state respectively, and the results are rather intriguing: state-level gasoline taxes (excluding the federal tax) varied from $0.124 cents in Alaska at the least, to $0.505 cents in New York at the highest. You can check out the map below for a complete breakdown of where each state falls:
Read more: http://wallstcheatsheet.com/automobiles/this-chart-will-tell-you-how-much-youre-paying-in-gas-taxes.html/?a=viewall#ixzz3FKQQibwh