The city council of DeKalb approved first reading last night of an ordinance that would overturn a ban on gambling devices to allow video gaming with payouts. Also, in a daring use of Home Rule authority, it has decided to consider allowing the machines in an establishment where kids hang out. Come August 27, probable…
Category: City Watch
Budget Contingencies FY2013
DeKalb budgeted $375,000 in contingencies this year, which is a lot more than usual. I didn’t understand all of the abbreviations so I asked about them and here’s the poop scoop: Management Compensation Study — $5,000 Emerald Ash Borer — $75,000 Housing Study (w/NIU) — $45,000 Code Enforcement — $150,000 TIF Study — $50,000 EPI…
City Revenues from Corn Fest 2011
We need for DeKalb to collect, at minimum, about $30,000 in Corn Fest annual revenues on behalf of DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport (DTMA) because that’s what city administrators told the FAA it would do. They also said they’d put these revenues, consisting of sales taxes and parking fees, directly into the airport fund instead of…
Rockford Rejects Collection of Fee for Electrical Aggregation
Rockford Register Star asked the question: When it comes to municipal electrical aggregation, what’s in it for the city? City brokers deal with other municipalities, lands nearly $20 million in savings for area customers, hands over thousands of accounts and gets nothing in return? Rockford’s Central Services Manager Carrie Eklund says that’s exactly what the…
City Payments to Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins
DeKalb city manager Mark Biernacki entered into a contract agreement last fall with the firm Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, using his ordinance-given spending authority (PDF p. 55). A professional services contract had been entered into by the City Manager, on behalf of the City Council, with the firm Klein, Thorpe, and Jenkins to conduct research…
DeKalb’s TIF District 2
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District 2 is described in city budget narratives as running south of the downtown but north of Taylor Street. Annual TIF 2 expenditures generally include: $250-300,000 in economic incentives to Target rehab, repairs and/or improvements to Barb City Manor and the Municipal Building about $150,000 in transfers to the General Fund…
A Look at the Central Area TIF Funds
Yesterday there was a lot of news coverage about Chicago’s forecast inability to finish its planned Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects now that property tax revenues are down. Coincidentally, I’ve been peering at DeKalb TIF funds recently, looking for the same kind of trouble. Fund 63 is the DeKalb TIF fund that pays for development…
No Task Force, No Public Input Allowed at Council’s Special Meetings on Housing Issues
[Updated with link 5:30 p.m.] The DeKalb City Council is planning three special meetings on housing issues, scheduled as follows: Wednesday, Aug 22 at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 19 at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct 10 at 6 p.m. The meetings will not include Safe/Quality Housing Task Force members except as members of the audience who…
Progress at the Airport
I decided to see if DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport has made progress in growing its non-governmental revenues now that it has added fuel sales and new tenants. Below is a table showing the primary revenue category, rentals, along with the newbie, fuel sales. These are not the only non-governmental revenues, but the remainder combined don’t…
DeKalb’s Airport as a Grant Funding Priority
Was the Daley Policy Group initially hired just to get money for the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport, or are airport grants simply the low-hanging fruit in DC? Over the past 20 years: At least 20 separate airport projects were funded, compared to seven non-airport-related projects $28.6 million, which is 68% of the total grant/earmark dollars,…