Comments for DeKalb County Online http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com Participative Journalism in a Local Treeless Newspaper Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:16:24 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Scientific Survey? by Ed Pevonka http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/03/scientific-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-4586 Ed Pevonka Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:16:24 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1687#comment-4586 Mac Just heard the mayor is all bent out of shape because the state is cutting the funding to DeKalb by 1.2 million and is telling DeKalb to come up with ways to raise money. How about the city just raise the price of providing Fire and EMS service to the University by 1.2 million and call it a wash. See if the city has the guts to do what the state just did to us instead of drafting a letter and just complaining about it. Mac Just heard the mayor is all bent out of shape because the state is cutting the funding to DeKalb by 1.2 million and is telling DeKalb to come up with ways to raise money. How about the city just raise the price of providing Fire and EMS service to the University by 1.2 million and call it a wash. See if the city has the guts to do what the state just did to us instead of drafting a letter and just complaining about it.

]]> Comment on Scientific Survey? by mark charvat http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/03/scientific-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-4581 mark charvat Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:34:31 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1687#comment-4581 More of the FLAWED business survey council discussion can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVNHWyCRNnQ More of the FLAWED business survey council discussion can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVNHWyCRNnQ

]]> Comment on Scientific Survey? by Mac McIntyre http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/03/scientific-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-4580 Mac McIntyre Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:40:32 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1687#comment-4580 Pevo... your "rambling" is spot on. Other than grandstanding the vote was unanimous. Wait until the public figures out that the grand plans for the "Walkway to Nowhere" were revived... Pevo… your “rambling” is spot on. Other than grandstanding the vote was unanimous. Wait until the public figures out that the grand plans for the “Walkway to Nowhere” were revived…

]]> Comment on Scientific Survey? by Ed Pevonka http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/03/scientific-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-4579 Ed Pevonka Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:17:03 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1687#comment-4579 I watched last night and almost threw up when I was watching this discussion. A few months ago the difference between Revenue bonds and GO bonds was about 300k As you point out revenue were 300k higher because there was more risk involved. Not that "risk" has grown to over 1.5 million which to me means the buyers of these bonds want much higher interest because this has become a project with much higher risk and the buyers are starting to question the projected results Instead of any discussion on what has increased the risk they CC has just made every property owner underwrite TIF projects with GO bonds. This Tif is failing big time.. Biernacki also gave 3 scenarios last night about the projected TIF incomes. Some were based on a steady property rate for 3 years and a 3% growth for following years. This info was passed to the council to base their decision on. Well their' Projections" have been wrong for the last 3-4 years so why would the council think they are correct now.. I would have thought more of the CC if only one person would have asked, "what happens if property values drop by 15 percent and remain there for 10 years?" What if the property values are less 10 years from now instead of growing like you propose? Let me give an example. Lets say whoever owns all of the old clinic property decided that it is cheaper to demolish all the buildings in order to not pay taxes on both the building or land. Wouldn't that cause the TIF property taxes to go down instead up up as projected by the council? Lets say a large fire destroys a major building, wouldn't that lower the TIF property value? Or lets say the University buys more land in the TIF district and that property comes off the tax rolls. Wouldn't that cause the value of the district to go down? I could go on and on with the lack of questions that were asked but one more point. The staff also presented data on what would happen if TIF just went away and what effect it would have on the General Fund. Did anyone else note that the report only dealt with INCOME. It was pointed out that income to the GF would be about 250k more with TIF that without TIF but no one asked what effect eliminating TIF would have on city EXPENSES. Sure TIF may bring in 250 but what does it cost to bring that in? How many staff people can be eliminated if TIF did not exist? Would we need special snow removal equipment if TIF didn't exist? It was once said that some percentage of Admin costs about 8% (which the city even says is a low ball estimate) can be attributed to TIF. So if TIF goes what Admin employees associated with TIF can also go. Usually I am very supportive of Staff but I found this to be a real sell to the CC last night instead of providing complete information for them to base a decision on Sorry to ramble on Pevo I watched last night and almost threw up when I was watching this discussion. A few months ago the difference between Revenue bonds and GO bonds was about 300k As you point out revenue were 300k higher because there was more risk involved. Not that “risk” has grown to over 1.5 million which to me means the buyers of these bonds want much higher interest because this has become a project with much higher risk and the buyers are starting to question the projected results

Instead of any discussion on what has increased the risk they CC has just made every property owner underwrite TIF projects with GO bonds. This Tif is failing big time..

Biernacki also gave 3 scenarios last night about the projected TIF incomes. Some were based on a steady property rate for 3 years and a 3% growth for following years. This info was passed to the council to base their decision on. Well their’ Projections” have been wrong for the last 3-4 years so why would the council think they are correct now.. I would have thought more of the CC if only one person would have asked, “what happens if property values drop by 15 percent and remain there for 10 years?”

What if the property values are less 10 years from now instead of growing like you propose? Let me give an example. Lets say whoever owns all of the old clinic property decided that it is cheaper to demolish all the buildings in order to not pay taxes on both the building or land. Wouldn’t that cause the TIF property taxes to go down instead up up as projected by the council?

Lets say a large fire destroys a major building, wouldn’t that lower the TIF property value? Or lets say the University buys more land in the TIF district and that property comes off the tax rolls. Wouldn’t that cause the value of the district to go down?

I could go on and on with the lack of questions that were asked but one more point. The staff also presented data on what would happen if TIF just went away and what effect it would have on the General Fund. Did anyone else note that the report only dealt with INCOME. It was pointed out that income to the GF would be about 250k more with TIF that without TIF but no one asked what effect eliminating TIF would have on city EXPENSES. Sure TIF may bring in 250 but what does it cost to bring that in? How many staff people can be eliminated if TIF did not exist? Would we need special snow removal equipment if TIF didn’t exist? It was once said that some percentage of Admin costs about 8% (which the city even says is a low ball estimate) can be attributed to TIF. So if TIF goes what Admin employees associated with TIF can also go.

Usually I am very supportive of Staff but I found this to be a real sell to the CC last night instead of providing complete information for them to base a decision on

Sorry to ramble on
Pevo

]]> Comment on Today is the day. Get involved. by Jenny Scott http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/03/dekalb-county-landfill-expansion/comment-page-1/#comment-4568 Jenny Scott Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:28:51 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1653#comment-4568 I do not think the DeKalb county board realizes the economic impact to home values and the overall impression of what this will do to DeKalb. We already have issues with garbage not staying in the boundries of the area, but I know first hand the impact the landfill proposal had on Yorkville in Kendall county and the public perception of Yorkville. I do believe it has been a contributing factor to that areas decline of overall value. I am in real estate in Kendall county, I live in DeKalb, and know 1st hand the impact the discussion alone had on the homes on the market. No one wants to live in a landfill area, and so far, this is a very bad decision on the part of DeKalb county to entertain something so serious to compromise so many areas of our economy outside of the immediate jobs. If jobs is the reason, why not move the landfill west of Rt39? It would employ the same people as the proposal, and not change our home and community overall value. What kind of community are we? The garbage community? I do not think the DeKalb county board realizes the economic impact to home values and the overall impression of what this will do to DeKalb. We already have issues with garbage not staying in the boundries of the area, but I know first hand the impact the landfill proposal had on Yorkville in Kendall county and the public perception of Yorkville. I do believe it has been a contributing factor to that areas decline of overall value. I am in real estate in Kendall county, I live in DeKalb, and know 1st hand the impact the discussion alone had on the homes on the market. No one wants to live in a landfill area, and so far, this is a very bad decision on the part of DeKalb county to entertain something so serious to compromise so many areas of our economy outside of the immediate jobs. If jobs is the reason, why not move the landfill west of Rt39? It would employ the same people as the proposal, and not change our home and community overall value. What kind of community are we? The garbage community?

]]> Comment on Just checking in by Kay Shelton http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/03/just-checking-in/comment-page-1/#comment-4492 Kay Shelton Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:20:30 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1663#comment-4492 Change the "could" to "will" on losing experienced staff because I seriously doubt anyone eligible for retirement would tolerate taking a 12% cut for life. A smart, retirement-eligible employee would retire immediately and lock in the salary-tied pension before a cut would go into effect. Change the “could” to “will” on losing experienced staff because I seriously doubt anyone eligible for retirement would tolerate taking a 12% cut for life. A smart, retirement-eligible employee would retire immediately and lock in the salary-tied pension before a cut would go into effect.

]]> Comment on DeKalb County Board Members Under Administrative Gag Order: Told Not To Talk to Their Constituents by Keven Dahl http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/02/de-kalb-county-board-members-under-administrative-gag-order-told-not-to-talk-to-their-constituents/comment-page-1/#comment-4304 Keven Dahl Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:55:20 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1654#comment-4304 Did not the voters reject the Jail expansion in 2 election cycles? On the surface of current County actions; it appears they "dun spent the money (on jail and courthouse bonds) before we even got a chance to look at it", much less considered any other uses for the "tipping fees". Probably really foolish to think there was any discussion of property tax rebate. Build, build, heck we've even got a county building commission. Did not the voters reject the Jail expansion in 2 election cycles?
On the surface of current County actions; it appears they “dun spent the money (on jail and courthouse bonds) before we even got a chance to look at it”, much less considered any other uses for the “tipping fees”. Probably really foolish to think there was any discussion of property tax rebate. Build, build, heck we’ve even got a county building commission.

]]> Comment on DeKalb County Board Members Under Administrative Gag Order: Told Not To Talk to Their Constituents by Ronald Swager http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/02/de-kalb-county-board-members-under-administrative-gag-order-told-not-to-talk-to-their-constituents/comment-page-1/#comment-4299 Ronald Swager Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:53:51 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1654#comment-4299 I do apologize for not introducing myself. While not exactly county staff, our firm has been hired by the county to provided a detailed technical review of the landfill application and engineering design.. We have performed his service many times throughout Illinois. In our experience a pre-negotiated landfill host agreement is not a "back-door" deal, as not all applications with host agreements have been approved for siting. A good example of this are the recent attempts to site a landfill in Kendall County. But they are an excellent mechanism to acquire additional protections and benefits for the citizens of the county. My comments here were not intended to be pro or con on the subject of expanding the DeKalb County Landfill, simply to provide some facts on the established siting process. With that said, I'll butt out of this discussion. I do apologize for not introducing myself. While not exactly county staff, our firm has been hired by the county to provided a detailed technical review of the landfill application and engineering design.. We have performed his service many times throughout Illinois. In our experience a pre-negotiated landfill host agreement is not a “back-door” deal, as not all applications with host agreements have been approved for siting. A good example of this are the recent attempts to site a landfill in Kendall County. But they are an excellent mechanism to acquire additional protections and benefits for the citizens of the county.
My comments here were not intended to be pro or con on the subject of expanding the DeKalb County Landfill, simply to provide some facts on the established siting process.
With that said, I’ll butt out of this discussion.

]]> Comment on DeKalb County Board Members Under Administrative Gag Order: Told Not To Talk to Their Constituents by Kay Shelton http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/02/de-kalb-county-board-members-under-administrative-gag-order-told-not-to-talk-to-their-constituents/comment-page-1/#comment-4288 Kay Shelton Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:47:30 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1654#comment-4288 Hi Ivan, I agree--expand DeKalb's landfill for DeKalb County, but not Kane, McHenry, or any of the other counties. Let them deal with their trash. What happened with Rochelle's mega dump? I thought they were going to take in garbage from other counties. Did it get filled already, so fast? Hi Ivan, I agree–expand DeKalb’s landfill for DeKalb County, but not Kane, McHenry, or any of the other counties. Let them deal with their trash.

What happened with Rochelle’s mega dump? I thought they were going to take in garbage from other counties. Did it get filled already, so fast?

]]> Comment on DeKalb County Board Members Under Administrative Gag Order: Told Not To Talk to Their Constituents by A. Reyes http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/index.php/2010/02/de-kalb-county-board-members-under-administrative-gag-order-told-not-to-talk-to-their-constituents/comment-page-1/#comment-4280 A. Reyes Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:57:41 +0000 http://www.dekalbcounty-il.com/?p=1654#comment-4280 Mr. Krpan, please call me at your earliest convenience. I tried your phone, but I can not leave a message. Thank you. Mr. Krpan, please call me at your earliest convenience. I tried your phone, but I can not leave a message.

Thank you.

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