The State of Illinois Comptroller’s Office has begun posting annual Tax Increment Financing (TIF) reports from FY2010 on. Go here and click on “View Submitted TIF Reports.” You’ll find the City of DeKalb’s FY2010 report there so far. FY2011 should be along soon.
Category: State Watch
Time to Occupy U.S. Cellular Field and that New Restaurant Across from It
Holy crikey sheesh. The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, the government agency that built and owns The Cell, paid $3.2 million for construction of the restaurant plus just about everything inside the place, from walk-in refrigerators to bar stools, the Tribune and WGN-TV found in a joint investigation. Another $3.7 million from the agency went for…
Contributions to Local State Reps from Energy & Utility Companies
There’s been a lot of talk about how ComEd and Ameren are spreading a lot of cash among state legislative leaders in hopes of an override of the governor’s veto of the Smart Grid legislation. Here’s a look at 2011 contributions from energy and utility companies to our legislators, State Rep. Bob Pritchard and State…
EIU Enrollment Down, Some Dorm Floors to be Empty
This is an AP story but I haven’t seen it locally. Eight of the 17 floors at Carman Hall will be empty and kept closed because the university doesn’t need the space, The Mattoon Journal Gazette and Charleston Times-Courier reported. […] No layoffs are planned but open positions on the dorm’s staff will remain unfilled…
State Employees & Workers’ Comp
Received this morning: this link to the Belleville News series of investigative reports on state employee’s Workers’ Compensation claims. The latest, published April 20, details the paper’s attempts to obtain information regarding successful claims. Recent and upcoming opinions delivered by the Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor that pertain to Workers’ Comp-related Freedom of Information Act…
Home Rule May Complicate Push for Concealed Carry
A 3/5 majority vote on the legislation may be required to override municipal Home Rule powers. [h/t R.M.]
Local Government Transparency Act
A bill introduced into the Illinois Senate would establish minimum standards of transparency for local government websites. SB 37, which is scheduled for a committee hearing today, would expand upon the Illinois Policy Institute’s 10-point Transparency Checklist, with which CB’s readers are already familiar. Links: Illinois Policy Institute summary of the standards contained in SB…
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Tackles State, Local Budget Problems
“Misunderstandings Regarding State Debt, Pensions and Retiree Health Costs Create Unnecessary Alarm [Except in Illinois, Where Alarm is Justified”]
Taxes in Neighboring States
Rich Miller at Capitol Fax.com has put together a post with information about what Illinois’ neighbors pay in taxes and more. It’s fact-checkity goodness.
Straightforward Explanation of Illinois Budget Complications
Eric Zorn explains why calling for 10% across-the-board cuts in the state budget wouldn’t solve our money problems. I happen to disagree with him about the value/ROI of a forensic audit of state spending, however. Here’s another discussion, including a recap of Adam Andrzjewski’s arguments in support of such an audit, here.