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Serving DeKalb County since 1879 Jimmie Ward
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Monday, September 30, 2013
INDIAN CREEK HOMECOMING • LOCAL, A3
Community awash in school spirit at parade
NIU has historic day with win against Purdue
Revenue flat as county talks budget Deficit to eat away $4.7M in reserves By FELIX SARVER
What’s next
fsarver@shawmedia.com DeKALB – DeKalb County leaders say they are maintaining a healthy savings in their main operating fund despite plans for a $4.7 million overall deficit for 2014. The proposed spending plan for the fiscal year starting Jan. 1 is on display at the county clerk’s office and online at www.dekalb-
DeKalb County Finance Committee will host public hearings on the proposed budget and the County Board is expected to adopt the budget in November.
county.org, and County Board members are expected to vote on it at their Nov. 20 meeting. The
proposed 2014 budget includes about $77.9 million in expenses, with $28.6 million of that slated for the general fund, which is the main operating fund. County Finance Director Peter Stefan said revenue is more or less flat compared to 2013 and mirroring a recovering economy. “We’re past recession, but it’s a slow recovery,” he said. Outside auditors suggested
that county leaders have at least 35 percent of the annual general fund expenses – or about $8.5 million – in the savings, according to a September administrative recommendation. After a projected $900,000 deficit will reduce the general fund balance, or savings, to $9.35 million on Dec. 31, 2014, county leaders could continue spending at similar levels in 2015 without savings dipping below the suggested levels, the recommendation stated. The budget includes 1 percent raises for nonunion employees, while employees represented
Local artists take step at Art Walk
by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union will see a 1 percent raise and employees represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers will receive a 1.5 percent raise. Contracts for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Metropolitan Alliance of Police expire late this year. Meanwhile, county leaders are seeking a slight increase in property tax revenues to $20.8 million, up from $20.3 million in 2013.
Charles Foster, vice chairman of the Finance Committee, is concerned with the increase in spending.
See BUDGET, page A10
Democrats, GOP stuck as shutdown deadline nears By ANDREW TAYLOR The Associated Press
Photos by Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Artists Ryan Lindsey and Spencer Siebeck, both from Sycamore High School, repurpose broken skateboards into their own art Saturday at the SMLTWN SK8 Shop during an Art Walk in Sycamore and DeKalb.
Skulls, skateboards, watercolor and more showcased during event By ANDREA AZZO news@daily-chronicle.com Graydon Cafarella spent his 72nd birthday doing what he loves most: painting. The Art Attack teacher had some of his watercolor paintings on display Saturday at the sixth annual Art Walk. While painting water splashing against rocks, Cafarella said he hoped the event would expose more people to watercolor. “It’s a different medium, but to me, there’s a sparkle and charm to it that I don’t see in any medium,” he said. Sixteen venues across Sycamore and DeKalb participated in the event, which promot-
Watercolor artist Graydon Cafarella paints an ocean scene Saturday from a photo he took during. ed more than 60 local artists’ work, said Susan Edwards, di-
There was a marked increase in traffic this year, Edwards said. “It makes me feel good people want to take part in the arts,” she said. DeKalb resident Elizabeth Swedberg viewed several pieces, including artwork depicting skulls. Swedberg suggested leaders host more events for artists during high-traffic times when tourists are in town, such as during DeKalb’s Corn Fest and Sycamore’s Pumpkin Festival. “Realistically, most artists don’t get noticed until they’re dead,” she said. Artists Spencer Siebeck, 16,
rector of The Art Attack, 215 W. Elm St. in Sycamore.
WASHINGTON – With the government teetering on the brink of partial shutdown, congressional Republicans vowed Sunday to keep using an otherwise routine federal funding bill to try to attack the president’s health care law. Congress was closed for the day after a post-midnight vote in the GOP-run House to delay by a year key parts of the new health care law and repeal a tax on medical devices, in exchange for avoiding a shutdown. The Senate was to convene this afternoon, just hours before the shutdown deadline, and Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had already promised that majority Democrats would kill the House’s latest volley. Since the last government shutdown 17 years ago, temporary funding bills known as continuing resolutions have been noncontroversial, with neither party willing to chance a shutdown to achieve legislative goals it couldn’t otherwise win. But with health insurance exchanges set to open Tuesday, tea party Republicans are willing to take the risk in their drive to kill the health care law. Action in Washington was limited mainly to the Sunday talk shows and a news release as Democrats and Republicans rehearsed arguments for blaming each other if the government in fact closes its doors at midnight today. “You’re going to shut down the government if you can’t prevent millions of Americans from getting affordable care,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
Sen. Harry Reid D-Nevada
Rep. Chris Van Hollen D-Maryland
Inside Closed for business? Government shutdown history. PAGE A10
See ART, page A10 See SHUTDOWN, page A10
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