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Champaign News-Gazette: Just the tip of the iceberg
Several municipalities are expected to face the pension crisis that’s currently gripping Harvey.
Few people pay much attention to Harvey, an impoverished community in the Chicago area. But they should, because it’s the canary in the coal mine — a harbinger of municipal pension disasters to come in communities across the state.
Buried under fire and police pension costs, it recently laid off police officers and firefighters to cut costs. But even as city officials were tightening their municipal belt, Harvey took a shot to the gut when Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, using a little-known state law, rerouted $1.5 million in revenue that should have gone to the city over to the woefully underfunded municipal pensions.
Crain's Chicago Business: Money talks, and Illinois students walk
Financial aid is playing an increasingly important role in luring record numbers of Illinois high school graduates to colleges in nearby states in an intensifying Midwest battle for students.
Illinois legislators vexed by the state’s loss of college-bound students will propose fixes soon, but more money for financial aid may be a missing part of the equation.
Northwest Herald: McHenry Township trustees vote to slash elected officials' pay
McHenry Township officials have voted to cut the pay of elected officials.
By a margin of 4-1, with Supervisor Craig Adams offering the only “no” vote, trustees on Thursday approved this pay scale for McHenry Township’s top jobs:
• Supervisor: $45,000
• Highway commissioner: $45,000
• Assessor: $45,000
• Clerk: $10,000
Northwest Herald: Committee to discuss reducing size of McHenry County Board
The McHenry County Board Ad Hoc Committee on Governmental Consolidation will meet to discuss reducing the County Board’s size after the 2020 U.S. Census.
Board Chairman Jack Franks will reconvene the committee at 5 p.m. Tuesday to debate the matter.
Fox Illinois: Tax dollars go towards golf pro salaries
The Springfield Park District pays a total of almost $200,000 each year to four pros. One teaches tennis and three others teach golf.
“The golf pros manage the day-to-day operations of the pro shops,” Springfield Park District Executive Director Derek Harms said. “So selling season passes, taking admission fees and green fees, renting out carts, running the concession operations, dealing with the public.”