Get Out to the Fair and Get Those Cheese Curds from the Jaycees – Their Stand Is Next to the Grandstand!
The weather should be terrific for the fair today and the rest of the week. There will be no excuse not to go to the fair. Fantastic events every night. How lucky we are to have such a wonderful fair!
Go to stephensoncountyfair.org/grandstand-shows for a complete schedule of events.
Recently, it was said that Good Morning Illinois would report on Freeport City Council meetings since the Journal Standard did not report on the meetings. There is a good reason the Journal Standard does not report on said meetings – they are not worth a reporter’s time.
Here is summary of the meeting on July 1, 2013:
Public Comments: 4 individuals spoke in support of making Chicago Avenue a two way street. Again a big issue was the placement of the mail boxes on the street.
Public Hearing on Appropriation Ordinance: Absolutely no one commented on it. No written comments and no public comments. No comments from alderman. Enough said. Everything is perfect in Freeport!
Second reading of several ordinances:
Maintaining electric rate tax – No discussion. This Council has not seen a tax it does not like.
Chicago Avenue two way street – much discussion by Council on effective date of ordinance and mail boxes on street. If only this council would spend as much time on the rest of the community considering the problems facing it. For example all of this time spent discussing Chicago Avenue when many other streets in this community are not safe to drive on due to their poor condition. ENOUGH SAID. YOU DECIDE WHAT IS IMPORTANT!
Appropriation Ordinance – discussed by a few Council members. Big issue an increase to the Mayor’s expense account which was approved by the Council. Also, discussion of $100,000 budgeted to tear down houses. The Mayor indicated if they had more revenue than anticipated, it could be diverted to tearing down houses! NO DISCUSSION OF OTHER AREAS IN FREEPORT SUCH AS THE HORRIBLE CONDITION OF THE STREETS. HOW SAD IT IS!
Reports of Department Heads:
Fire Chief – Announced his retirement at the meeting. Freeport thanks him for a job well done.
City Engineer – appears oblivious to problems facing Freeport. He lives in German Valley and serves as a Trustee for that community. Draw your own conclusion!
On a very serious note:
The Mayor and Police Chief discussed the recent murder. Both indicated that it will take the community’s help to solve this crime. Silence will only encourage further conduct of this nature. Unfortunately, one alderman stated that the citizens of Freeport should understand that no neighborhood will be safe in Freeport if this conduct is allowed to continue. How stupid does he think we are. Threats by this alderman in this case are disgusting. Spend less time on Chicago Avenue and more on the real issues facing this community. Talk is cheap – but in this case deadly.
Next Freeport Council meeting is July 15, 2013.
The Illinois legislature is now and has been for years considering pension reform. The citizens of this state should understand pension reform in Illinois will just mean a shifting of the tax burden for pensions to local taxing bodies. For example, local college districts and school districts will be responsible for paying the pensions of their employees. If you think your real estate taxes are high now, wait till they get done in Springfield. A 10 to 20% increase in your property tax bill would not be a surprise!
New law in Illinois effective July 1, 2013. No court supervision if you are receive a speeding ticket for speeding more than 30 miles per hour (mph) over the posted limit on highways or 25 mph in urban areas.
Now that the Fourth is over, it’s time for the Stephenson County Fair which is July 9-14. Go to the web site at stephensoncountyfair.org for a full schedule of activities. See you all at the fair!
McPherson Law Offices wishes everyone a happy Fourth of July. It is the one day of the year that we celebrate our independence from England and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. After the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, the Fourth of July became a holiday in many places. Now it is the most patriotic holiday celebrated in the United States.
Our troops are stationed around the world in order to preserve our freedoms. How sad it is to hear that due to budget cuts Fourth of July fireworks have been cancelled at many military bases including Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base and Fort Bragg which is a large Army Base, both bases being located in North Carolina. I guess it is more important for the President to be flying around Africa at a cost of millions of dollars to the American taxpayer than to buy fireworks for our troops and their families. Our founding fathers would be shocked!
At the Freeport City Council Meeting on June 3 one alderman said that the tax rates are high, but not to blame the City since its share of the tax bill is just around 10% of the total. How dumb does he think we are? Freeport also taxes electricity, natural gas, telephones, cable television, gasoline, real estate sales, general sales tax on most purchases (2.25%), and a special tax on restaurant meals including that hamburger at Culvers or McDonalds! Don’t forget that Freeport gets a portion of the Illinois income tax you pay which was recently raised 67%. Look at the special fees on your water bill for capital improvements. These are just a few of the other taxes! There are many more. If you live in Freeport, ask your alderman to give you a list of all Freeport taxes including fees which are actually taxes! Ask you alderman to read them into the record at the next council meeting!
Some of the area communities in Northwest Illinois having fireworks and the dates are as follows:
Freeport July 3
Shannon July 3
Mt. Carroll July 4
Rockford July 4
Stockton July 4
Get out there and enjoy!
The 15th Judicial District which includes Freeport, Galena, Mt. Carroll, and Oregon was represented by Heather McPherson at Illinois State Bar meeting this weekend at Lake Geneva. Heather is past chairperson of the Elder Law Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association, and this year is one of the Editors of the Elder Law Newsletter. Heather received additional training on providing legal education to lawyers in Illinois. She is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars throughout the state.
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