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Lake County News
From
Craig Taylor | |
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Craig Taylor Representative District 19 |
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If you like getting out and riding your bike you'll be excited about the possible bike path improvements heading our way.
Please make sure to learn about the Census which will take place in March. It's very important that you take the time to provide the required information. Federal tax dollars collected from us have a better chance of coming back to us for projects in our area based on our Census numbers.
Feel free to forward this e-newsletter. If you have any comments or suggestions, please call or email me.
My contact information if you need to reach me by phone is 847-438-2961 or email:
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Lake County Approves Bike Path |
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The Lake County Board approved an intergovernmental agreement providing a bike path as part of the Quentin Road improvement between Long Grove Road and White Pine Road. The recently passed agreement is the first step towards realizing a regional path system than can connect municipalities in the SW portion of the County with each other and with three different Forest Preserve facilities.
The regional plan is illustrated on the map below. The plan is divided into three phases each correlating with a planned major road improvement project.
Phase I includes the path segment between the Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve and the intersection of Quentin and White Pine road. This phase consists of the bike path that already exists along Long Grove Road and the new path portions that are to be built by Deer Park and Kildeer under the now passed intergovernmental agreement.
Phase II corresponds with LCDOT's Quentin Road improvement project from White Pine Road to Rt. 22. This segment is still in the engineering phase and provides the critical middle section serving as the connection between Phases I and III.
Phase III on the map corresponds with IDOT's Rt. 22 improvement project and it continues the regional path from Quentin Road east across Egret Marsh Forest Preserve and on to Herron's Creek Forest Preserve.
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Census Coming Soon |
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The United States Constitution requires a Census of the population of the United States every ten years. In March of this year every household in Lake County will be mailed the 2010 Census form. The Census applies to all residents of Lake County, citizens and non-citizens alike. This form has only 10 questions and will take only about 10 minutes to complete. Federal law protects the personal information you share during the Census - this information is completely confidential and cannot be given to any other government office or provided to any business database. The 2010 Census does NOT ask for bank account information, salary or income, citizenship or immigration status, and does not ask for your Social Security number.
The Census population determines which states gain or lose representation in Congress. It also helps determine the amount of federal funding that will go to Lake County and its municipalities during the next decade. Data collected through the Census is used by decision-makers at all levels of government, as well as businesses and community organizations. Local elected leaders and planners look at Census data to help determine where and when to develop new roads, houses, schools, health care facilities, parks and recreational facilities, and other public services. A business or corporation looking for opportunities to grow looks to the Census to get an idea if its products could be sold and whether or not qualified workers can be found.
An accurate Census count impacts virtually everything that contributes to the quality of life in Lake County.
Watch your mailbox for the Census form coming to your residence in March and when it arrives fill it out and MAIL IT IN! Returning your completed Census form by mail is the most efficient and fastest way to GET COUNTED! A Census worker must visit every household that does not return a form. These visits unnecessarily raise the cost to compile the Census and will certainly take more time than just filling out the form and putting it back in the mail.
You can find a sample Census questionnaire form like the one you will be mailed on the Census website.
For more information on the Census, please visit the United States Census 2010 website.
Census 2010 Information Brochures:
http://2010.census.gov/partners/pdf/brochure_HowPeopleAreCounted.pdf
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Rain Barrel Sale - Go Green |
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Save the Rain for a Sunny Day!
Looking for a way to save money, go green and beautify your home at the same time?
Purchase a rain barrel from the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District. Rain barrels encourage water conservation, reduce runoff and re-use rain water saving water usage and money. A rain barrel can be connected to a downspout from a roof; rain that is caught can later be used for water the yard and garden. To purchase your rain barrel call 847.223.1056 or visit www.lakeswcd.org. |
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Flush Responsibly |
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Did you know....
that what you flush down the toilet or poured down your sink or floor drain may damage the sewer pipes in your home and yard as well as the sewer system in your neighborhood? It may also damage Lake County's pumps and treatment facilities, and the environment.
The Lake County Public Works Department is asking residents to please refrain from disposing of certain products down their drains or toilets. The following items should NEVER be flushed down the toilet or discarded through a sink or floor drain:
General Household Waste - Dispose of in the trash
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Wet/dry cleaning cloths (Swiffer, etc.)
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Any plastics (bags, gloves, condoms)
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Sanitary napkins and tampons
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Antibacterial wipes (Lysol, etc)
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Cooking oil, fat and grease
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Diapers and diaper wipes
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Cloth, rags and string
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Laundry dryer sheets
Household Chemical Waste - Use a chemical waste disposal program
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Pharmaceutical drugs
- Over-the-counter medicines
- Household cleaning chemicals
- Hygiene or personal care products
- Fuels, motor oil and antifreeze
- Paints and paint thinners
- Perfumes and cosmetics
- Lawn care chemicals
To learn more about household chemical disposal options from the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) call 847.336.9340 or visit www.lakecountyil.gov/swalco. |
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New Credit Card Rules |
What to Expect
Unexpected rate hikes. Over-limit fees. Double-cycle billing. Those are just a few of the credit-card practices that have trapped millions of consumers into a life of constant worry over mounting debt. In less than a week, these practices will be history.
On Feb. 22, 2010, the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD Act) takes effect. It puts forth new rules for credit-card issuers that are arguably the most consumer-protective in the history of credit cards.
If you're the type of person who reads every piece of mail sent by your credit-card companies, then chances are you already have a fair idea of the changes coming. (Credit issuers have been mailing out change-of-terms notifications that explain the details in recent weeks.)
Then again, credit-card rules are hardly ever simple -- and the CARD Act is no exception. Below are the key changes that the new law puts forth, along with some notable exceptions that could still allow consumers to get in trouble with their credit cards.
 Finance Charges, Interest-Rate Hikes and Notifications
· No rate increases for the first 12 months after opening an account.
· Rate increases can only be applied to new charges.
· Annual and application fees cannot exceed 25% of your initial credit line.
· No more double-cycle billing.
· A six-month minimum promotional-rate period.
· No more over-limit fees, unless the card holder opts in.
· No fees to make credit-card payments online or over the phone, unless you make a payment on your due date.
· Must give 45-day notice of pending rate or fee hikes or any other significant changes to credit-card terms.
Exceptions, Caveats, Loopholes:
 - Rate hikes are allowed if you're more than 60 days late with a payment.- Some banks have already found a way around the rate-hike issue, by increasing card users' regular interest rates to as high as 29.9% and then refunding a part of that rate for each month that the customer pays on time.
- Double-cycle billing, although prohibited, can technically still exist for credit cards that don't have grace periods. ·
Issuers have been calling consumers asking them to opt in for over-limit fees in exchange for lowering that fee, says Chi Chi Wu, a staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center, a consumer advocacy group.
What they're not saying is that if people don't opt in, the transaction will be denied and they will not be charged over-limit fees in the first place, Wu says.
If you make a purchase under a "deferred-interest" plan (such as "No interest for six months," for example), the company may let you choose to apply extra amounts to the deferred-interest balance. Otherwise, for two billing cycles before the end of the promotional period, your entire payment must be applied to that balance. Carrying a "deferred-interest" balance is a risky proposition altogether, says Wu: Unless the balance is paid in full over the specified period, the company will charge all interest retroactively once the promotional rate expires. "We think deferred-interest plans should have been banned," Wu says.
Billing Statements, Payments and Disclosures
· Billing statements must be sent 21 days before the due date.
· Your due date should be the same date each month.
· Payments are considered on time when received by 5 p.m. on the due date or the next business day after a holiday or weekend.
· Payments above the minimum must be applied to the highest-rate balance first.
· Each monthly statement must include information on how long it would take you to pay off your balance if you make minimum payments only and the total you'll pay, including interest and principal; and how much you need to pay each month in order to pay off your balance in 36 months and the total you'll pay, including interest and principal.
· Statements must also include a warning that by making only minimum payments you will pay more interest and it will take you longer to pay off your debt, as well as a toll-free number to call if you want to be referred to a credit-counseling service.
College Students and Young Adults
* No credit cards for college students unless co-signed by a parent or they can demonstrate "ability to pay."
* No credit-limit increases if you are under 21 and have a co-signer without that co-signer's permission.
* No credit-card marketing and freebies on college campuses.
Parents with kids in college...Note this well....
Issuers will likely start appealing to parents to co-sign their children's credit cards. And the Federal Reserve has specified that issuers have the option of keeping the parent on the hook even after the young person turns 21, Wu says. "If that younger person keeps the credit card for 20 years, the co-signer is liable that whole time."
Issuers are not allowed to give out freebies for signing up for a credit card on or near a campus -- which still allows them to set up shop near popular off-campus venues and offer freebies to everyone, whether or not they apply.
... from SmartMoney.com |
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"Resources for Surviving the Economy" |
Thursday, March 4th
4:00 - 7:00 pm
Arboretum Club
401 Half Day Road, Buffalo Grove
Services Available:
- Individual Resume Review
- Free Half Hour Mini Seminars
- Exhibits & Resources
- Networking
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Mini Seminars:
4:15 pm - Preparing Your Resume
Presented by Robert Morris University
Followed by individual resume reviews
4:45 pm - Modifying Your Mortgage Loan
Presented by Neighborhood Housing
Services of Chicago
5:30 pm - Jump Start Your Job Search
Presented by Career Resource Center
6:15 pm - Fix Your Credit
Panel Discussion: Financial Planners
and Mortgage Brokers
Exhibitors
Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc.
Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association
Career Resource Center - Lake Forest
College of Lake County
Harper College
Robert Morris University
IL Department of Employment Security (IDES)
IL WorkNet Center
Workforce Development Dept. of Lake County
Jewish Vocational Service
Job Center of Lake County
Affordable Housing Corp. of Lake County
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago
NW Housing Partnership
Indian Trails Public Library
Vernon Area Public Library
Financial Consultants
Insurance Brokers
Mortgage Brokers
and more!
Sponsored by: Attorney's Title Guaranty Fund, Inc.
Brought to you by: Village of Buffalo Grove - Buffalo Grove Area Chamber of Commerce - David Stolman, Lake County Representative District 20Include
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New Laws Affect Commercial Drivers on the Tollway |
Provided by Illinois State Police, District 15
Increased Speed Limit.
Commercial vehicles weighing more than four tons as well as motor homes, campers and trucks, are permitted to drive 65 m.p.h. on the far western segments of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) as well as other designated interstates in Illinois. The 55 m.p.h. speed limit still applies in urban areas including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Will and McHenry counties.
 Right Lane Restrictions have been reinstated for trucks using the Illinois Tollway now that systemwide roadway Rebuild & Widen projects are complete. State law restricts trucks to the two right lanes wherever there are three or more lanes.
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| View Past Issues of Lake County News |
I have archived my newsletters for your convenience. To view archived Lake County News from Craig Taylor click here.
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