[SEPT. 21, 2002]  The Logan County Board Finance Committee worked for 3½ hours Friday morning trying to whittle the budget deficit for 2003 and agreeing to present a one-half percent increase in the hotel/motel tax to the full board in October.

The hotel/motel tax is a levy on proceeds from hotel and motel occupancy and as such is seen as a tax that does not come from the pockets of local citizens.  By law proceeds must be spent on tourism.  In the past the money has gone to the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County and to Main Street Lincoln.

If the board passes the half percent increase, the levy is expected to raise about $10,667 new dollars.  This represents an 11 percent increase from the current $96,000 in annual proceeds.

Though raising the hotel/motel tax rate would bring new money to the county, it would not affect the critical general fund, which is used to run most county business.  Its principal sources of revenue are sales and property taxes, interest income and fees levied by county offices.

Accountant Gary Hetherington of Sikich Gardner & Co. in Springfield, who sat in on the committee meeting, explained that tax revenue projections in the 2003 budget were determined by taking figures from the current budget, adjusting downward according to actual receipts in 2002 and adding 1.5 percent for growth, essentially inflation.  The interest projection is down $75,000 because the county will have less to invest at lower rates.

Going into Friday’s meeting the deficit in the county general fund budget for fiscal year 2002-2003 stood at $688,484.  The Finance Committee, chaired by Rod White, went through the budget line by line trying to bring expenditures more in line with projected revenue.  Besides White, the committee consists of board members Roger Bock, Lloyd Hellman, Dick Logan, Clifford Sullivan and Dale Voyles.  Law Enforcement Committee chair Doug Dutz and board candidate Bob Farmer also sat in on the session.

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For both the current year, which ends Nov. 30, and next year the committee looked for one-time expenses that need not be repeated, line items where expenditures have been significantly under budget, purchases that can be deferred and other potential reductions.

A few cuts seemed relatively painless.  For example, the board voted in May to continue its own pay at $35 per person per meeting, with only one meeting counted for an individual in one day.  This salary is set once every 10 years and is unchanged from the previous decade.  However, with the switch to district representation, board membership will drop from 13 to 12 in December.  As a result, the committee was able to cut the line item for board pay by $5,000 to $40,000.

For the most part, however, cuts proved difficult to make because many line items are mandated by law, set by union contract or determined by previous board vote.  In addition, most officials submitted budgets that differ little from 2001-02 levels.

After 3½ the committee still did not have a budget proposal to present to the full board in October.  No overall vote was taken, so cuts discussed remain tentative. White set another meeting for 8 a.m., Friday, Sept. 27, in the board meeting room at the courthouse.  Budget cuts, tax increases and personnel are all on the table as the county tries to stem the flow of red ink.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

Gov. Ryan urges support for
accused Air Guard pilots

[SEPT. 21, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Gov. George Ryan urged support for the legal defense fund for the Illinois military pilots charged by the U.S. Air Force in connection with the fatal "friendly fire" bombing of Canadian troops on a training exercise in Afghanistan.

Four Canadian soldiers were killed during the tragic incident. Charged in connection last week were Maj. Harry Schmidt of Sherman, a former instructor at the U.S. Navy’s Top Gun and the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons schools, and Maj. William Umbach, a 20-year veteran of the Air Force and Air National Guard and a Petersburg resident.

Today Gov. Ryan, Maj. Gen. David Harris, the Illinois National Guard adjutant general, and staff were briefed by the U.S. Air Force deputy judge advocate general about the U.S. Code of Military Justice process that the two pilots now face.

"The death of allied soldiers is tragic, and the people of Illinois grieve with the families of the heroic Canadian fighting men," Gov. Ryan said. "At the same time, I want to be sure that these two Illinois military men, now on federal active duty, get the best defense possible."

Although military lawyers are provided to the officers, in order to get the best defense they are seeking to retain private attorneys to join their legal team.

"I urge Illinois residents to support the legal defense fund being established to help these two pilots. They served their country in the war against terrorism. This tragedy took place in difficult conditions. In the interest of justice and fairness, Maj. Schmidt and Maj. Umbach deserve the best legal counsel possible to mount their defense against these serious charges," Gov. Ryan said.

Contributions can be made to the Pilot’s Defense Fund, VFW Post 10302, 2349 Stockyard Road, Springfield, IL 62702.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

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