Your source for community news and sports 7 days a week.
Student of the month
MUSTANG MAKES UP FOR RECENT LOSS
NEWMAN HIGH, A3
PREP WRESTLING, B1
TELEGRAPH
Monday, December 21, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
ILLINOIS | BUDGET IMPASSE
State could tap into $4B in cash Analysis shows money in 531 separate accounts BY JOHN O’CONNOR The Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD – Half a year into its deepening budget crisis, the state of Illinois is sitting on at least $4 billion in cash. An Associated Press analysis of state records finds the money in 531 separate
accounts set up for special – and specific – purposes, but precedent shows that lawmakers and governors in less anxious times have dipped into those accounts to pay regular state expenses and stave off financial distress. Two weeks ago, Democratic lawmakers agreed with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on tapping a total of $3 billion from 112 of the special state
funds – albeit to finance those funds’ intended purposes. The short-term spending plan sent more than $1 billion owed to cities and Gov. Bruce counties in tax Rauner revenue from income, fuel, gambling and more, as well as providing $400
million to keep state agencies operating and paying other bills. Debate on the plan resurrected the often-pejorative term “fund sweeps” among Capitol chatter. It’s a practice of taking money for one purpose to pay for something else which gained notoriety during the tenure of former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who took office in 2003 amid budget
woes that continue to linger. As recently as March, Democrats and Rauner agreed on $1.3 billion in sweeps to fill a hole in last fiscal year’s budget that opened when Rauner insisted that a temporary income-tax hike be rolled back as planned. It was the largest of such “sweeps” conducted in Illinois since 2003. CASH CONTINUED ON A5
DIXON | RECOVERED CRUNDWELL FUNDS
Q&A
Wolzen’s way with words
Where is the $40M going? Finance director keeps running total of money in and out on spreadsheet BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5535 @KathleenSchul10
Photos by Christopher Heimerman/cheimerman@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Stan Wolzen, 78 of Dixon, has written more than 1,000 poems, including one of his latest, “Here Come the Holidays ... Where Did They Go?” BELOW: Wolzen shows sheets detailing poems he’s read, and where he’s read them, over the years.
Dixon man, 78, writes thousands of poems on dozens of topics BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
An excerpt from ‘Sig, the Big Teddy Bear’
DIXON – When his muses speak, 78-year-old Stan Wolzen, better known to many as “The Dixon Poet,” doesn’t dare ignore them. They come in many forms: animals, nature, holidays, nouns of all sorts: If it’s a person, place or thing, Stan’s likely written about it. Or her – perhaps most notably, his bride of 32 years, June. She gets a poem for every occasion. “He’s very good,” she said. “Even though I’m his wife, I can say it.” He’s written, somewhat reluctantly, about – gulp – politics. “I try to steer clear of that stuff,” Wolzen said, “but I’ve written a lot of political poetry. I’m a middle-of-the-roader. I’m a contributing Democrat, but I’m definitely not a liberal. I’m a conservative Democrat. A lot of people say that can’t be, and I say the hell it can’t. There’s a lot of us.” WORDS CONTINUED ON A4
Online extra Click on this story at saukvalley.com to watch Dixon resident Stan Wolzen read his poem “Here Come the Holidays ... Where Did They Go?”
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 164 ISSUE 164
June Wolzen’s sister, Rose Mary Sigwards and her late husband, Elwood, own the Dixon Subway, one of about 25 locations their family owns in northwestern Illinois and Iowa. When “Sig” passed in 1997, Stan Wolzen wrote a poem and read it at the meal after the funeral. Here are some excerpts: Elwoood Sigwards was his name, but most of us called him Sig. He made the Hall of Fame in basketball, he was so big. 6-foot-7 in his prime, he learned to duck a lot. But he couldn’t duck the arrow when Cupid made his shot. He wasn’t much for flowers, but a Rose caught his eye. And with the help of Cupid, she fell for the big guy.
…
He fought against infliction, that made this big bear lame. But just like Cupid’s arrow, he couldn’t duck its aim. Three years ago, our maker took our teddy bear. He needed him for something. He’s now in best of care.
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 COMICS ............... A8 CROSSWORD....B10
LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2 NATION/WORLD .. A9
DIXON – Every time a story runs on progress being made recouping the $54 million Rita Crundwell stole from her hometown – like the one that broke Friday involving her share of a family trust – one or more folks are bound Paula Meyer to ask “What Finance director happened to the money the city already banked?” Finance Director Paula Meyer could tell you in her sleep. She keeps a running total of Crundwell money in and Crundwell money out on a spreadsheet titled “City of Dixon Recovered Funds.” Of the roughly $30 million that came from a lawsuit the city settled with its auditor and bank, and the slightly more than $10 million made from the sale of Crundwell’s assets so far, here’s the tally: • City debt repayment: $21.250 million • Operating reserve (a savings account): $5 million • East River Street reconstruction: $4 million • Capital reserve (a savings account): $3 million • Dixon Public Library repairs: $1.2 million • Seventh Street repairs: $750,000 That’s $35.2 million, which leaves about $5 million available for city projects that have not yet been determined. FUNDS CONTINUED ON A4
Online extra Go to saukvalley.com to read the “City of Dixon Recovered Funds” spreadsheet. OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
Today’s weather High 48. Low 31. More on A3.
TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAPER, CALL 815-284-2224
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B5.