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…
More “Coffee Fund” Stuff
AP has picked up the “NIU Coffee Fund” story from the Daily Chronicle, so it’s all over the state now. Choose your favorite search engine to see for yourself. Glad as I am to see something hit daylight, though, there’s the feeling we’re being thrown a bone. I’ve pointed out previously that chasing it has…
Call the Wa-a-a-mbulance for Belvidere Township
WATB alert! BELVIDERE — Belvidere Township’s legal fees have skyrocketed 383 percent from five years ago. The township has been scrutinized for months with residents filing lengthy Freedom of Information Act requests and writing memos that require legal responses. People have questioned the township’s budget, public comment process and whether the government body should even…
Read the Rosemont Story if You Can
Today the Chicago-Tribune published an investigative report about Rosemont and the family that runs it. It’s a story about how the Stephens family has amassed riches and tremendous political clout. Most of all, however, it is a story about Home Rule. Illinois Home Rule allows: unlimited borrowing the option to forgo competitive bidding on contracts…
NIU Employees’ $13,000 “Coffee Fund”
Congratulations to the Daily Chronicle for digging up this story. Bill Kunkel, head of transportation for DeKalb Iron and Metal Company in DeKalb, said that for years he’s been writing checks to what’s called the “coffee fund,” an account NIU spokesman Paul Palian said university officials weren’t aware existed. Kunkel said several employees, mainly from…
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…
Home Rule and the Real Estate Transfer Tax
**Updated July 31 at end of post.** Believe it or not, there’s at least one limit to Illinois Home Rule! Here’s a post from the blog of the Illinois Association of Realtors: I was discussing a transaction in the home rule community of West Frankfort. “My client was surprised to learn at closing she had…
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…
Rochelle Can Do It. Why Can’t We?
Of course I’m talking about the grand opening of the Nippon Sharyo railcar manufacturing plant and the potential birth of a supply chain cluster. And they don’t even have Home Rule! Let’s treat this as an open thread.