Du Quoin to Tap Your Phone Bill for $150,000 in New Revenue
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Du Quoin City Council Monday voted to increase the city's share of the tax you pay as part of your telephone bill from 1 percent to 6 percent (the maximum allowed) which will generate $180,000 a year in revenue instead of the current $30,000.
Du Quoin will notify the Illinois Department of Revenue of the increase before the end of the year. It will take effect July 1, 2009.
For the phone user, if you have a $100 monthly phone bill, it will increase the municipal tax on that bill from the current $1 per month to $6 per month. Currently, the $30,000 raised from the tax is used to help pay the city's pension liability.
This coming year, that liability is expected to be $150,500 for the town's firemen and more than $120,000 for the town's policemen.
Moreover, the income will help close the gap on what is looking like a $180,000 budget shortfall for the calendar 2009 year.
The city is hoping to find some savings after one or more employees told the city clerk's office they are changing from family coverage back to the cheaper individual coverage.
Du Quoin will further close the gap by charging residents for things they were never charged for before. For instance, if you and your neighbor ask the city council to vacate an alley and the council agrees, you will be charged for all of the costs incurred in getting that done. Legal work, etc. could cost upwards of $500. These new charges extend to almost anything which is a direct benefit to a resident, but whose costs are incurred by the city.
In other action:
The council approved a one-year leave of absence for assistant Chief of Police Jamie Ellermeyer without comment. The leave would run from March 2009 until March 2010. Ellermeyer can rescind the request between now and then. Ellermeyer is a gifted investigator of almost nine years who has worked tirelessly alongside the Perry County Drug Task Force to control drug trafficking in our community. Ellermeyer's only comment to the newspaper was there are career and retirement issues he must sort through.
The council accepted a bid of $60,500 from Wilson Pools Plus of O'Fallon for repairs to the Du Quoin Municipal Swimming Pool.
The council approved a parade permit submitted by the Du Quoin Main Street Board to facilitate the Veterans Day parade to be held on Tuesday, November 11th.
The council voted to place on public display Ordinance 2008-O10-01: An ordinance establishing an Identity Theft Prevention Program as required by Federal Regulations.
Approved the nominations of Stacey Hirsch, Gail Betts and Billie Jo Green to the Main Street Board of Directors
Main Street director Pam Pereira is taking a winter vacation in Texas and introduced to the council board member Dean Ralston who will work in her absence.
Commissioner Rex Duncan advised the council of the death of Nick Porter in Paducah and the retirement of physician Dr. Tavee. He also asked local residents to vote on November 4.