GREETINGS FROM MAYOR LARRY MORRISSEY
September 2006Dear Friend:
I hope all is well with you and your family. This is a new e-mail update which I will be sending quarterly to keep the citizens informed on the latest issues.
Labor Day Flooding
All of you are aware of the deluge of rain we received on Monday, September 4 and the subsequent devastating flooding that caused significant public and private property damage throughout parts of our City. I would like to wholeheartedly thank our dedicated City employees, including Police, Fire, Public Works and Human Services, for their tireless work following the flooding. Outreach and cleanup efforts are also being provided by the local Red Cross, Salvation Army, various churches, contractors and the local building trades to help over 1,000 residents who were affected by the flood. While we have had over millions in damages, the good news is that no lives were lost as a result of the storm.
On the morning of September 5th, I signed a Declaration of Local Emergency. State Emergency Management Agency officials were in town as of Tuesday afternoon assessing the damage. The State Treasurer's office made available $1 million for one-year, low-interest loans to Rockford flood victims on Wednesday, September 7th. The Governor also declared a State emergency that day. Federal officials arrived in Rockford later that week to begin assessing the damage.
The Governor and area lawmakers have also asked President Bush for a federal disaster declaration for Rockford. We are awaiting word regarding this declaration, which would make available low interest loans and cash grants to low income individuals.
Capital Plan Needed
The flood further demonstrated our City's need for a more robust capital plan. We are preparing a full report of the causes of the flooding and our City's response. The evidence we have so far indicates, however, that parts of our impacted neighborhoods were hit with over 8 inches of rain in 2 hours. That is double the amount of rain for a 100 year storm. While a more complete storm water management investment could not have prevented this disaster, it may have helped mitigate the situation. The old capital bonding program for roads couldn't pay for stand-alone storm water projects. Any dollars spent on that were obtained by applying for grants and scraping together the rest. Past plans were made for improving storm water management and then scrapped as the budget became tight. The need for a dedicated revenue source for this and other capital projects is very real.
To this end, I have proposed again a sales tax increase to pay for road and infrastructure improvements. This referendum would be on the ballot in April of 2007. Before going to the polls, we will bring forth a comprehensive five year plan for road, storm water and other improvements. This proposal is now in the Finance and Personnel Committee of the City Council for further study.
I firmly believe that this increase in sales tax is a better alternative than continuing to raise our property taxes, which are already too high. Groceries, prescription and non-prescription medicines and medical equipment, and vehicles titled by the State of Illinois would be exempt from this increase. Our old way of paying for roads and other capital needs is deficient. This will be a better way. I look forward to continued discussion and support on this.
City Insurance Issue
Many of you may be aware of the proposed structural changes to our City health insurance that I have made in the recent months. The City's cost for health insurance has tripled since 1995, from $5.5 million in 1995 to $16.8 million in 2005.
Our city employees pay less than 10% of annual plan costs compared to a Midwest average of 28% and a national average of 33%. Many of our Rockford residents work for employers who offer no health plan, and those who do have a plan pay a lot more. While I have great respect for the work our City employees perform, this plan is out of line with what other private and public employees pay. We have to have a plan that is credible with our taxpayers who pay our bills.
We also want to include a life insurance option, a wellness program, and a comprehensive care management program for our employees who need those plan services. Our current plan does not offer those benefits and thereby betrays our employees' health needs while having a crushing impact on our budget.
Thank you for your time and for your support on these very important issues.
Mayor Larry Morrissey
City of Rockford