Elgin tax, fee changes win thumbs-up from bond-rating agencies

Two of the “Big Three” bond-rating agencies have
endorsed Elgin’s 2012 budget and the restructuring
of the city’s revenue streams to make them more
diverse. (Illustration/Ted Schnell • BocaJump)

By Ted Schnell • BocaJump | Saturday, June 16, 2012

A long-anticipated comprehensive evaluation of Elgin’s finances in 2011 refutes criticisms of the city’s handling of its economic crisis heading into 2012, and while skeptics may try to dismiss the report’s assessment, two of the world’s financial powerhouses have not.

Keysor stands behind other chamber criticisms

By Ted Schnell • BocaJump | Jan. 19, 2012

While acknowledging he ultimately was wrong about who supplied the city with a list of businesses used to initiate Elgin’s business license, OCTAVE spokesman Chuck Keysor said the group continues to stand by other criticisms it has leveled about the issue.

 “… I still stand by the list of all the other issues I raised a few minutes ago,” he wrote, referring to an email he sent in which Keysor outlined an array of issues with the business license program, all of which have been aired publicly before the City Council and in emails to OCTAVE supporters and others following the group.