Posted by markthoman on March 31, 2008
Municipal Bond |
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General Obligation (GO) bonds typically are 1/4%+ or more higher. AA+ rates are a little higher than AAA.
Posted in budget, flooding, government | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 30, 2008
That’s about the ratio of the sales tax increase vs. the property tax rebate granted in a special session of the County Board Saturday. Two of our three board members (Bennington and McMahon) did not show up at all. Nice job on doing your jobs, boys: last time anyone looked, you are both on the payroll. Try acting like it.
The Daily Herald’s Jake Griffin reports:
Posted in budget, county, government | 2 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 29, 2008
Update:
Mark:
Thanks for the inquiry, it has always been our intention to place a
podcast/MP3 file of this meeting on the Village website.If you have any other questions, please let me know.
Cara Pavlicek
Village Manager
Despite a light agenda for this Tuesday’s meeting, staff scheduled the village council to meet this Monday at 6pm in the Committee Room:
Posted in budget, elected officials, flooding, government, public works | 3 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 29, 2008
The Illinois Board of Election has redesigned their website to enhance the user experience and make it easier than ever to access information.
In the process, you now getting incorrect information sometimes.
Reduced transparency of campaign information? What is going on here?
Posted in campaign contributions, elected officials, ethics | 2 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 29, 2008
Malfeasance: Misconduct or wrongdoing, especially by a public official.
The County Board met Wednesday in a special session to divy up the goodies provided by Gov. Blago’s sales tax kick to the groin of Illinois retail commerce. That swift kick that punishes us all for an incompetently run RTA supposedly adds millions for transportation purposes. Since King Bob was right by Blago’s side whispering in his ear for the now famous “and public safety” clause, DuPage County will not be spending any of that newly minted money on transportation projects.
Where will King Bob and his yes men legions will spend $20 million this year, and $40 million starting next year?
Posted in budget, county, elected officials, ethics, government, infrastructure | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 26, 2008
Nicolay and Dart LLC were hired after a quick waive of the one week waiting period. This allows the lobby firm to be under contract when the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference descend on Springfield in April 8 & 9. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in budget, elected officials, infrastructure | 1 Comment »
Posted by markthoman on March 22, 2008
John Schofield sent me this heads up on a Tribune article by Greg Canfield filed March 20, 2008:
In an attempt to stop trees from being attacked by the emerald ash borer, Lombard is requiring residents to get a permit before removing any tree from private property.
The permit, which is free, ensures the Lombard Public Works Department will inspect the tree before the permit is approved. If the tree is found to be an ash, a specific process must be followed prior to the permit being approved.
Silly question: “How does a required permit stop the trees from being attacked?
Read it all here…
Posted in environment, trees | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 21, 2008
Tuesday the village council will workshop hiring a lobbying firm based in Springfield to help convince IDOT, the legislature, and other needed entities that DG should get the $8.5 million out of state so we can start the Belmont underpass.
And to maybe end run DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, who made his position clear: he wasn’t about to help with any of “his” millions.
Posted in budget, development, elected officials, infrastructure, muni code | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 20, 2008
Five years and counting, state champs…
and not a whisper about it at either the 99 website or the DGS website. Shameful, given the hours weeks months and months of hard work and practice that go into each members efforts on the speech teams at both schools.
At least Wikipedia gives them the cred they deserve:
It’s speech team has won thirteen state championships, more than any other school in Illinois. In 1997 it became the only team to win the speech state championship 4 years in a row, and in 2008 the only the only school to win that same title 5 years in a row.
Since 1985 DGS’ Speech team has won or placed second in state except for 1986, 1989 and 2000. If a sports team had won or was runner up at state with a record like that, imagine the hysteria. And these students did it not with brute athletic ability, but with brute skill and brute brilliance.
(DGN News has a report on their team, which finished eighth at state.)
Salute!
Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 20, 2008
No tornadoes, no sneak attacks, no emergency. Just a malfunctioning alarm at 1:30 in the morning.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 19, 2008
After a half year of asking and being ignored, the Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DGACOCAI) Legislative Council met Monday with DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, looking to get a commitment that part of the $20 million in newly minted sales tax revenues ($40 million next year) could help move the Belmont Avenue underpass forward.
Mayor Sandack and Commissioner Waldack reported on funding efforts at the Council meeting, and several others verified what went on at the Monday meeting, mainly: it’s good to be King (Bob)… Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in budget, development, elected officials, government, streets | 1 Comment »
Posted by markthoman on March 19, 2008
Council voted unanimously tonight to amend the muni code so as to ban further flag lots in Downers Grove. Commissioner Tully said he was looking forward to this day for seven years, and he had much to do with shepherding the ban through to approval. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in development, environment, flooding, housing, infrastructure, muni code, zoning | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 15, 2008
The University of Illinois a capella group The Xtension Chords (known as the X Chords) are competing Saturday night in the midwest ICCA semi finals at Northwestern University. My son Brian is in the group, as is Phil and Paula Vettel’s son Ed. Brian went to DGS, Ed went to DGN; both sides of town are represented by this very talented, funny group.Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: X Chords | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 14, 2008
The way we were.
Posted in development, history, photo | Tagged: development, historical, photo | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 13, 2008
The Northern Illinois Conference of United Methodist Churches will sponsor an informational seminar on Global Warming in response to the current scientific data indicating that climate change will have a significant impact on human kind. Anyone interested in understanding more about global warming are invited to attend. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in environment, government | Tagged: environment | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 9, 2008
I rarely get many comments, but DGDood scraped a nerve here, saying in comments:
You should post this over at DGreport. More people need to see how we overpay. One reason local government wants to get this big stormwater public works project going is so they become indispensable cogs in that gravy train.
and three days later:
You still haven’t put this over at DGreport. Chicken? Don;t want to upset anyone? I’ll do it if you won’t. Where did you get the info?
This is where reports are put on-line at Daniel Hynes Office of the Comptroller. Municipalities are required to file annual standardized reports. It piqued my interest because DG has yet to file their 2007 report. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in budget, government | Tagged: budget, government | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 8, 2008
On March 10 at the village council workshop, staff will forward new language and changes to Section 20 of the municipal code that will effectively end the practice of “flag lots” in Downers Grove. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in government, housing, infrastructure, muni code, zoning | Tagged: government, housing, infrastructure, muni code, zoning | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 7, 2008
For staff who wants it put off because they are just too busy, they sure got busy in just one week. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in development, elected officials, infrastructure, trees | 1 Comment »
Posted by markthoman on March 5, 2008
I got the idea for this from Evanston Now, who ran a significantly more in depth analysis among Evanston and two nearby communities. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in budget, government | 7 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 1, 2008
Some residents say we do not need any ordinance, that there is no problem with clear cutting property. Even lawyers suddenly do not remember definitions of words like unwarranted when facing the complexity of a simple ordinance.
I would ask this: Do you live next to a clear cut lot that was built out and now, as a direct result, have water problems? I have talked directly to residents who do now have water problems, and they do live next to, or near, property that has been clear cut and built out. It is not a coincidence: it is a direct connection. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in development, environment, flooding, trees | 3 Comments »
