The Illinois Commerce Commission

The Illinois Commerce Commission will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 on Illinois American Water Company’s proposal to increase annual revenue by about $61 million.

Illinois American Water Company serves about 317,000 customers stretching from the South Beloit and the Chicago suburbs through central and Southern Illinois.

The rate increases proposed by Illinois American Water Company have been suspended from taking effect pending a thorough review.

A final decision from the ICC is expected by April 25, 2010. Customers of Illinois American Water Company who would like to offer written comments can submit them through the “File a Comment” option on the ICC website at icc.illinois.gov/consumer or by calling 1-800-524-0795.

Joliet Illinois | Passerby finds man slain in Pilcher park

| UPDATED STORY

A man whose body was found this morning in a Joliet park appears to have been slain in a homicide, authorities said.

The man, whose identity was being withheld pending family notification, was found by a passerby this morning about 7:15 a.m. in Pilcher Park at 2500 Highland Park Drive, in Joliet, police said. Authorities declared him dead at 8:13 a.m. on the scene, according to the Will County coroner’s office.

An autopsy today indicated that the man died of blunt force trauma in a homicide, according to the Will County coroner’s office. A final ruling on the cause and manner of death will be made at a later date, according to the office.

Joliet Police were conducting a death investigation but were releasing no further information on the case this evening.

Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn│I Believe..Not

 JOLIET — Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn announced his department will begin fiscal year 2010 with some changes.

“We’ve begun preparation to move the day-to-day accounting duties from the auditor’s office into the Finance Department beginning Dec, 1.” Blackburn said. “Due to the rapid growth in the county, this move will help the two departments become more effective.”

“This restructuring will be advantageous to our office in making it more independent, and ultimately making the county more accountable and transparent,” he said.

(LOL) and I believe in Easter Bunny too.

The planned schedule going forward includes the preparation and cross-training of employees in the months of October and November and by Dec. 1 to reach an overall staff reduction of 60 percent, half of which will be transitioned to the expanded Finance Department.

 

County board finance committee Chairman Ed Kusta acknowledged the restructuring will be beneficial in keeping the county operating financially sound

Financially sound ?

.Here comes the Will County Twist are you tax payers ready…..

“The silver lining to every economic downturn is the overall reduction of the size of government at all levels,” Kusta said. “My hat is off to County Executive Walsh and the county board, through the leadership of Chairman Jim Moustis, as well as Auditor Blackburn and all other elected officials and department heads for rising to the challenge and making the reductions necessary to keep the county financially healthy.”Added Blackburn, “The timing is really perfect. We have a new auditor, a new finance committee chairman, and we are entering a new fiscal year.”

Well we tax payers will see for our selves and judge for our selves..

Joliet Illinois Political Bullshit and it’s Pundit.

Joliet Illinois-failing the grade and its citizens are treated like walking pay checks.

“Gee” what are we supposed to think, the city raises taxes, we voters and tax payers are pee-ons for the political machine to abuse, when every thing was great, the city of Joliet spent money like it was no object. Do we see the results now! Do these political dunders get it…Apparently not……… Check below

		“I think those days are over for at least the foreseeable future,” said Turk, chief executive officer of the Joliet-based Turk Furniture chain. “I think we’re in a new economy,” Turk said. Businessman Michael Turk agrees. March 2008, Thanas began early on to issue warnings of the tough times ahead. But Thanas answered with a quick “no” when asked if Joliet’s best days were behind it. Herald News story
Just a few snippets from the Herald (spew) News. • Police department lost more than 40 positions through early retirement and attrition; fire department and other city crews face possible layoffs as city tries to avert budget deficits. • Water and sewer rates hiked 35 percent this month to make up for lost revenue from casino taxes and construction fees; regional planners warn that city water supply could dwindle in next decade, although city officials dispute timetable. • Joliet unemployment rate of 11.9 percent is bad but not nearly as bad as 26.5 percent unemployment mark in 1983 that preceded the city’s recovery from the Rust Belt industrial recession of that era. • Silver Cross Hospital is building new hospital in New Lenox and will leave Joliet in early 2012. • Casino business hurting with double-digit declines in revenues. City gaming taxes sink, too.				But Mayor Art Schultz, who presided over the good years since first being elected in 1991, envisions a return of young families looking for a place in Joliet to start homes…. “Your young people are still getting married. They still want a place to live,” Schultz said…… There has been criticism that Joliet spent too much money during the good years on things like city-owned Silver Cross Field, the Joliet Area Historical Museum and the Splash Station water park… Schultz still sees such facilities as good investments that make Joliet a better place to live…. “Your young people are still getting married. They still want a place to live,” Schultz said. •Sounds like a man that is out of touch with the voters and has been for quite awhile……JolietJake The Council says: The city is focusing a lot of effort on plans to redevelop the downtown area. Counting in large part on federal money available for high-speed rail development, Joliet wants to build a transportation center that would help usher in new stores and workplaces for a future that would be more urban in lifestyle than what the city saw in the suburban-style expansion of the past 20 years.

Here is the Heralds down play on Unemployment 11.9 percent is bad but not nearly as bad as 26.5 percent unemployment mark in 1983.

What is forgotten is: 1983 I was like most people were, we making low wages, I know I was making $3.85 an hour and making a payment on a home and a car plus paying my other bills…but the big plus is I was able to save money. Today, now we make more. Yet, today 11.9% unemployment is a harder hit in tax loss to the city then the 26.5% that was lost in 1983, our population has grown an to an estimated population in 2008 of 146,125 and in 1983 the Population was 76,836. Now spread the 11.9% unemployment over 146,125 and you will see that’s a lot more unemployed now then back in 1983, Plus add all of Will County. Now who does the Herald news or the city council think they a fooling. Mismanagement is what the real cause is and candy coating the issue is not what we need, we as tax payers need facts and not some antiquated political machine like Joliet city council….my check book is closed! Topix Comments about Joliet