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Daily Herald: Why property assessments are up 15%-25% in Northwest suburbs
Northwest Suburban Cook County property owners are getting a dose of sticker shock this year as triennial reassessment notices have been averaging 15 to 25 percent increases by township.
Wheeling Township, with 36,000 single-family and 19,000 condominium properties in Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Buffalo Grove and Wheeling, among others, is the most recent to get reassessment notices.
Naperville Sun: Cars seized in crimes generate lucrative income for police, governments
When a Plainfield man was convicted earlier this year of DUI in Naperville, authorities sought to seize the 2007 Infinity G35 he was driving at the time and award it to the Naperville Police Department.
While ultimately unsuccessful – the car’s title was in his wife’s name – some might be surprised the effort was made at all, mistakenly believing the state’s forfeiture law applies only to vehicles seized in drug cases.
In fact, the Naperville Police Department has successfully petitioned the court to have 126 cars forfeited as part of the sentencing process between 2012 and 2015. Of that number, only 26 were involved in narcotics crimes.
AP: Special court in Madison County helps veterans avoid jail
A special court in Madison County has been helping veterans avoid jail since 2009.
Circuit Judge Charles Romani Jr., an Army sergeant during the Vietnam War, began the Madison County veterans court in 2009, the Belleville News-Democrat (http://bit.ly/2a2BZ8D ) reports.
Its goal is to help veterans who face charges because of alcohol and drug problems related to their military service get back on track through intensive Department of Veterans Affairs counseling and aftercare programs. Other forms of assistance can include helping the veteran find a place to live or a job.
The Times: Indiana suffers less income inequality than nation
Indiana ranks 40th nationally in income inequality, largely because its top earners make less than those in other states, according to a new study.
The Economic Policy Institute found the top 1 percent in Indiana make $717,688 a year, or about 16.5 times more than the average income of $43,426 for the bottom 99 percent.
That’s better than the national average of the top 1 percent earning 25.3 times more than the bottom 99 percent, and the Midwestern average of 20.1 times more.
Northwest Herald: Voters' wishes ignored again
Illinois’ system of government is rigged against the very people who work day in and day out to pay for it
We’ve known that for years, but it was proven once again last week when a second attempt to change how state political districts are drawn was thrown out by a Cook County judge who called it unconstitutional.
More than 550,000 Illinois residents signed a ballot proposal that sought to ask voters whether they wanted to take the power to draw Illinois legislative districts away from political party leaders and instead give it to a nonpartisan, independent 11-member commission.