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Tuesday, May 20, 2014
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DeKalb council talks pensions Officials consider property tax hike as way to fund obligations reportedly unstable pension funding practices. The proposed budget calls for the city to levy $4.27 million in property taxes, a 0.6 percent increase over fiscal 2014, that will net the city $25,809 in additional revenue, although city staff didn’t know how much that would cost for the average taxpayer. Although the levy would allow the city to fund the $3.5 million in police and fire pension obligations next year, it will only fund 31.6 percent of the city’s Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund costs and
By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The DeKalb City Council is debating whether property taxes should fully fund the city’s pension obligations or if the general fund should continue to support some of those costs. As part of ongoing discussions about the fiscal 2015 budget that starts July 1, DeKalb aldermen, city staff and Finance Advisory Committee members met to discuss the city’s proposed $79 million budget, including its
What’s next The DeKalb City Council plans to address some budget concerns during it’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. May 27. 94 percent of its Federal Insurance Contributions Act costs. In turn, the city will use $571,000 from the general fund to cover the shortfall, a practice City Manager Anne Marie Gaura called unsustainable. “Are we going to raise the
levy or continue to rob from the general fund?” 6th Ward Alderman Dave Baker asked, adding he didn’t fully support raising taxes, but didn’t want to see the city continue to fall short. Committee member Mike Peddle estimated the levying for the remaining $571,000 would cost taxpayers around 10 cents more per $100 of assessed valuation. The additional 10 cents would raise the property tax rate to around 90 cents per $100 of assessed value, excluding the library operations.
Fifth Ward Alderman Ron Naylor and third Ward Alderwoman Kristen Lash contended the city has held the line on property taxes because the dollar amount the city collects has not changed much in previous years. “When I look at it from year to year and see that I’m paying the same amount from year to year, that’s not an increase,” Lash said. “I’m paying the same amount.” David Jacobson, First Ward alderman, contended “holding the line” could be seen as a tax increase con-
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sidering the drop in property values. Assessed property values in DeKalb for this tax year are $485 million, which is roughly 9 percent lower than last tax year. Peddle made the argument that if the city designated the levy to pay for pension costs, the levy should rise with those costs. He argued the money is coming from the same place whether it is property taxes or general fund dollars. “Those come out of the taxpayers’ pockets, too,” he said.
5 Chinese officials charged in spying case U.S. trade secrets target of hacking By ERIC TUCKER The Associated Press
Photos Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Galal Osman (left), 9, from Sudan, and Alalaa Jabli, 9, from Saudi Arabia, learn a traditional Indonesian dance Thursday during a multicultural night at Jefferson Elementary School in DeKalb. Twenty-three countries are represented among the 280 students at the school.
DeKalb elementary school an international cultural hub By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Principal Cristy Meyer might not be able to list all 23 countries represented in Jefferson Elementary School’s student body, but she’s keenly aware of what a diverse school she runs. Jefferson, 211 McCormick Drive in DeKalb is the designated DeKalb School District 428 school for English language learner students. While some of those students could be from DeKalb, many have come other countries such as Turkey, South Korea, Kosovo or Spain. “We have a little League of Nations here,” said Meyers. “I think about how rich of an education they’re getting here. They have a little slice of the
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world.” Having a 25-person class with students from nine different countries is pretty standard at Jefferson, Meyer said, adding that kindergarten classes are often the most diverse. Of Jefferson’s 280 students, 80 are English language learners. Jefferson’s diversity means students there get enhanced, sometimes impromptu, lessons on
Bella Butler, 5, and mother Ingrid Butler, from Guatemala, play a Mexican game called Loteria on Thursday during a multicultural night at Jefferson Elementary School in DeKalb.
See GLOBAL LEARNING, page A7
“I think about how rich of an education they’re getting here. They have a little slice of the world.”
WASHINGTON – Accusing China of vast business spying, the United States charged five military officials on Monday with hacking into U.S. companies to steal vital trade secrets in a case intensifying already-rising tensions between the international economic giants. The Chinese targeted big-name American makers of nuclear and solar technology, stealing confidential business information, sensitive trade secrets and internal communications for competitive advantage, according to a grand jury indictment that the Justice Department said should be a national “wake-up call” about cyber intrusions. A company’s success in the international marketplace should not be based “on a sponsor government’s ability to spy and steal business secrets,” Attorney General Eric Holder declared at a news conference. The alleged targets were Alcoa World Alumina, Westinghouse Electric Co., Allegheny Technologies, U.S. Steel Corp., the United Steelworkers Union and SolarWorld. The indictment, which includes charges of trade-secret theft and economic espionage, was issued in Pittsburgh, where most of the companies are based. China denied it all. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the charges were based on “fabricated facts” and would jeopardize China-U.S. “cooperation and mutual trust.” “China is steadfast in upholding cybersecurity,” said the statement. “The Chinese government, the Chinese military and their relevant personnel have never engaged or participated in cybertheft of trade secrets. The U.S. accusation against Chinese personnel is purely ungrounded and absurd.” The charges underscore a longtime Obama administration goal to prosecute state-sponsored
Cristy Meyer See CYBERSPYING, page A7
Jefferson Elementary School Principal
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