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T y, February 11, 2014 Tuesday,
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DeKalb postpones acting on TIF City Council will wait until March as talks with D-428 continue By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – City of DeKalb leaders are postponing action on the South Fourth Street tax increment financing district until March as they discuss the impacts of the economic incentive zone with DeKalb School District 428 officials.
During the DeKalb City Council meeting Monday night, Economic Development Coordinator Jennifer Diedrich explained the council needed to receive and file three ordinances that would establish the TIF district because the law requires the council do so within 90 days of the public hearing, which
took place in August. Alderman unanimously voted to file the ordinances. She then asked them to postpone action on the ordinances until next month. Diedrich explained after the Dec. 10 meeting when the council last delayed action on the district, which would run from Taylor Avenue to Fairlane
Avenue, the city and school district formed a task force that is discussing the TIF district’s effects. Alderman unanimously voted to delay approving or rejecting the ordinances until March 10. Tax increment financing enables municipalities to spur development in blighted areas
intendent of Business and Finance Andrea Gorla told the Daily Chronicle as the group continues to meet, she expects they will discuss things such as an agreement that states the city would give some of the TIF funds to the school district.
by freezing the property tax revenues that local governments receive for as long as 23 years. As property values in the district increase, the increased property taxes are funneled to a special account and used for improvements. District 428 officials have been opposed to creating the TIF district. Assistant Super-
See COUNCIL, page A5
Suit accuses gov. hopeful of sexual harassment By KERRY LESTER and SOPHIA TAREEN The Associated Press
make up only 20 percent of the legislation. A majority of the $100 billion law funds the food stamp program, which serves 47 million Americans, including 2 million Illinoisans. The law cuts the food stamp program by $800 million annually, or 1 percent. The bill originally discussed in the House called for a 5 percent cut to food stamps. The cuts are aimed at cracking down on states that use heating benefits to boost food stamps. Illinois is not one of those states. The 1 percent cut still leaves people like Cynthia Jones, 49, of DeKalb, worried. Jones visited a food pantry for the first time in her life last week as she continued to reel from a nearly 65 percent cut in her food stamps. Jones said her food stamp benefits were slashed in November after a boost from the 2009 Recovery Act expired. Money is tight for Jones, who is on disability, and her fiancé, Carl McKee, who is in between jobs.
CHICAGO – The campaign for Illinois governor took a jarring turn Monday when a former state employee accused a Republican candidate, state Treasurer Dan Rutherford, of sexually harassing him and regularly forcing him to do political work on state time – allegations Rutherford denied as “absolutely, totally political.” Ed Michalowski, a former lawyer and director in Rutherford’s office, filed a federal lawsuit alleging Rutherford started making unwanted sexual advances toward him in April 2011, shortly after Michalowski began working in the office. He said the haDan rassment continued for more Rutherford than two years. The lawsuit also claims Rutherford asked Michalowski to set up meetings with potential donors for campaign contributions and organize parades and petition drives while on government time. At a news conference late Monday, Rutherford said the claims have no merit “whatsoever” and questioned their timing, coming just weeks before the four-way GOP primary. He said his office has documents and correspondence that refute the claims and that, to his knowledge, there are no witnesses to the alleged incidents of harassment. “I absolutely believe this thing smells of politics,” Rutherford said. Political analysts said the allegations could severely damage Rutherford’s chances, particularly among the socially conservative voters who typically turn out to choose the Republican nominee. One political analyst called the claims “toxic.” But Rutherford said an independent investigation would clear his name. He repeated earlier accusations that a Republican gubernatorial rival, businessman Bruce Rauner, is behind the lawsuit in an attempt to undermine Rutherford’s campaign in advance of the March 18 primary. Rauner has denied any involvement. Michalowski submitted a letter of resignation to Rutherford’s office last week.
See FARM BILL, page A2
See RUTHERFORD, page A2
Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Volunteer Ellen Avila prepares food items for distribution before opening the doors to the Feed My Sheep Food Pantry on Monday at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in DeKalb. The church hosts the food pantry every Monday and Thursday. By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com eKALB – The passage of the $100-billion-a-year farm program drew varied reactions across DeKalb County, from people concerned about food security to farmers relieved to have a safety net. President Barack Obama signed the five-year plan into law Friday after it passed the House and the Senate with bipartisan support last week. The sweeping legislation covers programs that aid farmers as well as those who receive food stamps, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, had been an issue of congressional debate for years. While farmers will continue to receive subsidies, the law ends the $4.5 billion direct government payment subsidy that farmers received whether they produced anything or not. The law adds around $570 million a year to crop insurance subsidies, something Somonauk farmer and DeKalb
D
County Farm Bureau President Mark Tuttle applauded. “If the government has to subsidize something, the insurance is the best thing,” Tuttle said. “You have a man who puts everything in his crops. All the farmers are asking for is a safety net.” Most of the subsidies benefit farmers who grow commodity crops, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice. However, the law also includes support for livestock and dairy farmers. Victor Township farmer Roy Plote appreciated the extension of the livestock indemnity program, which offers protection to livestock farmers for the animals they lose during a disaster. “It gives me the ability to choose how I want to protect my livestock the same as people protect their crops,” said Plote, who has around 500 head of cattle under his watch. “We were at a disadvantage compared to the crop farmer.” Although farmers are closely examining the law’s details, their subsidies
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