Let’s first link you to Mac’s excellent analysis of the report from financial consultants Executive Partners, Inc. (EPI) that came out this week. You will remember that the city has paid them $60,000 for their expertise and the article answers the question of whether we’ve gotten our money’s worth. Go for the context; stay to…
Category: City Watch
City: General Fund Revenues Plunge
[Update: I ended up reworking this a little, since the MFT-electricity thing is moot.] The proposed FY2010 city budget includes not only the FY2009 budgeted amounts but also the final revenue and spending projections for the current budget year. One of the projected General Fund revenue numbers (p. 29) is truly shocking: sales tax revenues…
Privatization & Public Safety
“I can tell you right now how to shave $10 million off the city budget,” a DeKalb business person told me recently. How? “Privatize everything.” It’s an extreme view redolent of anti-union sentiment and we will not be hearing pronouncements from city hall about contracting out for basic services anytime soon, I’m sure. However, that…
Re:New Report
Perhaps you listened to the part of the WLBK mayoral candidates’ forum last month when I challenged the notion that installation of the synthetic skating rink had translated into more downtown shopping dollars (an argument for its purchase)–in which case you then heard in response the sound of our then-acting-mayor waving a sheet of paper…
Home Rule Channel
YouTube video slices of the Home Rule petition challenge hearing:
Home Rule Petition Challenged
Stories here and here. I not only signed the petition but also helped gather a few signatures myself, believing we need to have a conversation about Home Rule and wanting to vote on it in April. If you feel the same, please join us at City Hall on Monday at 1:30 p.m. for a hearing…
Note from Ivan on the Cop Shop II
[This letter was sent by Police Advisory Committee Member Ivan Krpan to City Hall. Reprinted with permission.] October 27, 2008 To: Mayor Kris Povlsen and the members of the DeKalb City Council. My concern is plenty with regards to the construction of the new police station. As a member of the Police Advisory Committee on…
Council Watch: Paying for the Police Station
Council takes up the question of police station financing again Monday. The plan is to figure out how to raise an additional $450,000 per year to meet annual debt payments on a $17 million station. They’ve narrowed their options here, which would be the logical thing to do if they were all on the same…
Transparency Award
Here’s one for the “better late than never” file. Will post a photo ASAP but so far there are technical difficulties preventing it. [Update 2: Finally! H/T D2.] [Update 1: Whoops, here’s another article. Slow news day, I guess. H/T GM]
Water, Water Thread
We, and our neighbors behind us are sharing lakefront property again. It used to be something that happened about every 5 years, but now seems to have become an annual event. Some on our street are having flooding troubles that require generators even though the electricity (thank goodness) hasn’t gone out, because they need extra…