ABC: Chicago Police Supt. Gary McCarthy wouldn't resign, so he was fired
When Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that his hand-picked police superintendent was leaving amid a department crisis of confidence, Emanuel said he was asking Garry McCarthy to step down. We now know that Supt. McCarthy refused.
According to a letter from Emanuel’s chief of staff Eileen Mitchell to McCarthy, he was informed that “based on recent discussions you and I have had, your employment with the City of Chicago terminates effective December 31, 2015.”
The ABC7 I-Team received a copy of the letter under the Freedom of Information Act. Oddly and inexplicably, the letter sent to McCarthy is dated today, Thursday December 17. The action against him occurred more than two weeks ago.
NBC: Department of Justice Asks For Public's Feedback in CPD Probe
The Justice Department is asking for the public’s help in their investigation of the Chicago Police Department.
A DOJ community notice asks for anyone with “relevant information regarding the conduct of Chicago Police Department officers” to contact them at 844-401-3735, or community.cpd@usdoj.gov.
Meanwhile, Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to sit down with federal investigators Thursday on the second day of their investigation. He didn’t want to meet with investigators initially, but now says it needs to be done.
Crain's: Cook County property tax base grows after six years of shrinkage
As local governments struggle with ballooning budgets, at least one thing is working in their favor: a growing property tax base.
After falling for six years, the estimated full value of real estate in Cook County rose to $460 billion in 2013, up 11 percent from 2012, according to an annual report from the Civic Federation, a fiscal watchdog group. Aggregate property values rose in both Chicago and in the north and south suburbs.
After peaking at $666 billion in 2006, the total value of property in the county fell nearly 38 percent over the next six years as residential and commercial property markets crashed, dragged down by the recession and global financial crisis.
Journal Online: Change In Pension Rules Leads To Elk Grove Property Tax Hike
Elk Grove Village trustees set a combined extended property tax levy, including the Elk Grove Village Public Library levy, of $24.7 million at Tuesday’s (Dec. 15) village board meeting.
With abatements, offsetting revenue from other sources drops the overall total combined property tax levy, including the village’s corporate, debt and pension levies and library levies to $22.2 million. This represents a 4.59% increase over last year’s total combined property tax levy.
The net increase in the village and library property tax levy is expected to be $977,000 from last year’s amount, or an increase of about $38 on a $300,000 home, village officials said. Of the $38 increase, $32 would be attributed to the village and $6 would be attributed to a 3% increase in the library levy.
Northern Public Radio: Consolidation Task Force Finishes Its Work
Illinois has more individual units of government than any other state. A report approved Thursday by a gubernatorial task force says that ought to change.
Recommendations in the report include:
- Eliminating the requirement that governments print public notices in newspapers