Farm on Franks Application Open

The Farm on Frank’s application process is open as of January 2, 2020.

If you are interested in applying for a plot at the community garden for the 2020 farming season, please return the application, found at https://www.vniles.com/910/Farm-on-Franks, to [email protected], [email protected], or in person on the 2nd floor of 1000 Civic Center Drive, Niles IL 60714.

Please note, the application process closes on 03/20/2020.

Automated Call: Winter Storm Parking 1/17/2020

Residents received an automated call on Friday, January 17, with the following message:

This is an important message from the Village of Niles. The Village of Niles would like to remind residents to park cars off of the street whenever possible during winter storms. Please use your driveway when possible. If parking on the street, avoid parking directly across the street from other cars, creating a bottleneck.

Vehicles parked on the street can create a dangerous situation if emergency vehicles are unable to pass through. Snow and sleet are expected Friday evening and Saturday (January 17th and 18th). The Village of Niles thanks you for your cooperation in helping first responders keep Niles streets safe and clear.

Some residents may have received this message twice. We apologize for the error, and have resolved a technical issue for future alerts.

To hear this message again, call 847-588-8080. To ensure you continue to receive future emergency notifications, and to customize your communication preferences, please visit http://www.vniles.com/alert.

City Council meeting canceled January 20

The City Council meeting for January 20, 2020 has been rescheduled for January 21, 2010 at 7 p.m. at City Hall due to the Martin Luther King Day holiday observance.

Sustainability Task Force Meeting canceled January 16

The Sustainability Task Force (STF) meeting for January 16 has been canceled.  A special meeting has been scheduled for January 23, 7 p.m., at City Hall.  The agenda for the meeting will be posted in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.  

Pace proposes route changes their first time trying sauerkraut and now there are some big fans.

Joshua Saville said, “At first the salt was overwhelming, but afterwards it was tolerable and then delicious.”

“It was crazy how easy it is to make sauerkraut,” said Mohtadi Syed. “We only used two ingredients. I learned a lot about fermentation and probiotics. I thought I would spit it out, but it was delicious.”

New IRS data reveal the state loses twice as many high earners as it attracts

CHICAGO (Jan. 7, 2020) – Illinois is losing billions each year as residents leave and take their earning potential with them. Original analysis by the nonpartisan Illinois Policy Institute found that the state lost out on up to $32 billion in adjusted gross income, or AGI, since 2010 from residents moving to other states. That’s roughly $12.4 million per day.

Using new data released by the Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2017-2018, the Institute found that while residents leaving the state come from all income brackets, Illinois is losing more than twice as many wealthy residents as it is attracting.

These findings come as Illinois voters will decide Nov. 3, 2020, whether to scrap Illinois’ constitutionally protected flat income tax for a progressive income tax. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has promised the $3.4 billion tax hike will fund programs, services and new spending.

Other highlights from the analysis:

A cumulative loss of $32 billion in income to other states during the decade is the second-largest loss of any state in the nation in both raw dollar terms, after New York, and on a percentage basis, after Alaska. Since 2010, Illinois has not seen a single year in which the state gained AGI on net from other states. Illinois showed a net loss of $6.9 billion in AGI to other states in tax year 2017 and $5.6 billion in AGI to other states in tax year 2018, the worst losses of wealth on record.

The largest age group leaving the state in tax year 2018 were those of prime working age, with 58% of those leaving aged 26-54. Those who moved were also higher-skilled workers choosing markets with more job opportunities.

Those who left Illinois made on average $18,000 more than those who moved into the state.

In tax year 2018, Illinois lost residents to 43 states on net. Illinois only gained a combined 191 residents from the remaining six states: Vermont, New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Jersey.

While Illinois is losing income at all brackets, those who earn $200,000 or more are leaving twice as fast as average-income residents. The only state to see a higher share of residents making more than $200,000 leave in tax year 2018 was New York.

Orphe Divounguy, chief economist for the nonpartisan Illinois Policy Institute, offered the following statement:

“When Illinoisans leave the state, they don’t go empty handed. They take with them jobs, opportunity, talent and financial assets that would otherwise have fed Illinois’ economy. This makes state budgeting more complicated and puts more financial pressure on those who remain in the state.

“The consistent loss of more people to other states and higher-earning residents to other states should exacerbate concerns over Gov. Pritzker’s biggest policy priority: the progressive income tax. The policy increases taxes on the Illinoisans already most likely to exit the state, which means Illinois will be forced to hike income taxes beyond Pritzker’s introductory rates as the revenue runs short. Illinois is running out of rich people to tax. We must protect the middle-class residents who will be left picking up the tab.”

To read the full analysis, visit Illin.is/IRS2018. For bookings or interviews, contact [email protected] or (312) 607-4977.

Courtesy of the Illinois Policy Institute

ISBE’s budget recommendation aims to make Illinois best state in nation for families raising young children

​SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on Jan. 15 approved its fiscal year 2021 budget recommendation for public education statewide. ISBE recommends a $760 million increase in General Funds for public education for a total investment of $9.64 billion. The request includes a $100 million increase for early childhood programs to build on the historic investments in last year’s budget and help advance the goal of making Illinois the best state in the nation for families raising young children. ISBE will deliver its budget recommendation to Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly.

ISBE’s request also includes $43.75 million for high-impact investments in the teaching profession to elevate the recruitment and retention of diverse and effective educators.

“As a state, Illinois is committed to becoming the best place in the nation for families raising young children, with the nation’s best early childhood education and childcare,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “I make this promise – as state superintendent, as a mother and a grandmother, and as a former kindergarten teacher – for every single child in Illinois to have high quality early learning programs that help them develop the cognitive and social-emotional skills that they need to be successful.”

Governor Pritzker’s FY 2020 budget included the largest appropriation for early childhood in Illinois history. ISBE’s recommended increase of $100 million for FY 2021 will allow Early Childhood Block Grant programs to serve approximately 10,775 more children from birth to age 5.

“I also make a commitment to Illinois’ current and future teachers: We will invest in our profession,” said Ayala. “The work of our teachers in the classroom is where the magic happens. Our teachers love their students and love their jobs, and we promise to invest in them and their work in return.”

The City has been contacted by Pace in regards to proposed service changes that would affect Park Ridge riders. Proposed changes would include routes 215, 225, 226, 422, and 423; the addition of Route 424; and, the discontinuation of Routes 210 and 421. 

Pace is seeking public input on the next phase of these service improvements and will be holding six public hearings throughout its service region.  For more information, please visit pacebus.com.

Students Making Sauerkraut Learn to Love It, Learn About Healthy Benefits

Niles West German 2 Honors students were busy making sauerkraut last semester. They prepared the sauerkraut in class and allowed it to ferment for 15 weeks, which is considered quite a long time! German teacher Josef Neumayer said, “As part of our sauerkraut-making unit, we discussed the economy of cabbage, culinary practices, cultural significance, and we ended with the importance of probiotics and health and wellness.”

The longer sauerkraut ferments, the more the flavor develops, so last week the students sampled the results and decided the flavor was just right and it was ready to share. Students took home a jar to share or cook a meal for their family over the weekend. Neumayer said, “This batch was amazing.” For many of his students, it was