Evanston Scribe – What’s news in Evanston…

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Short-term rental overhaul passes on third try at City Council

Bob7 hours ago03 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston now has new rules and regulations for short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO, as councilmembers unanimously…

A strong advocate of shared costs with the city, Executive Library Director Yolande Wilburn to step down

Bob3 weeks ago2 weeks ago05 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston Public Library Executive Director Yolande Wilburn, whose selection after a 15-month search in 2023 was celebrated…

Late-arriving property taxes lower city budget deficit estimate

Bob4 weeks ago4 weeks ago02 mins

By Bob Seidenberg The second installment of property tax revenues has finally arrived at the city, leading finance officials to…

Ninth Congressional race draws full turnout at Evanston candidates forum

Bob4 weeks ago4 weeks ago02 mins

Despite freezing temperatures, a full crowd has turned out tonight at Northminster Church in northwest Evanston to hear Democratic candidates…

One that got away — Barnes and Noble experiencing comeback in other places

Bob1 month ago1 month ago02 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Barnes and Noble, once a gem of Evanston’s downtown, is staging a comeback in other places. The…

Evanston’s panhandling ordinance moves a step closer to being repealed

Bob1 month ago06 mins

By Bob Seidenberg A city committee took steps Monday night to amend an ordinance that Evanston has had in place…

Last call for Peet’s, a coffee shop which became a ‘third place’ for many downtown

Bob1 month ago1 month ago04 mins

Both the city and customers sought a deeper explanation from the parent company By Bob Seidenberg Peet’s was the first…

Evanston not quite ready to reopen the door for ‘vacation rentals’

Bob1 month ago03 mins

Council members see the need for a few more tweaks By Bob Seidenberg Evanston city council members weren’t quite ready…

Committee backs pilot incubator-pop-up program to activate downtown’s vacant spaces

Bob1 month ago1 month ago06 mins

By Bob Seidenberg rseiden914@gmail.com Evanston’s empty storefront spaces may be placed into use as a retail incubator or as a…

Council members vote 5-4 to adopt comprehensive plan which stirred strong controversy

Bob1 month ago1 month ago02 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston City Council members approved a new Comprehensive Plan for the city on Monday, bringing to a…

Will a once obscure tax become a dedicated source for future pension funding?

Members of a city committee are scheduled later this week to consider whether a once obscure tax source should be dedicated to pay public safety pensions on a steep funding path.

Jack Mortell, president of the Evanston Firefighters Pension Board, conducted the research showing very little of PPRT monies were going to public safety pensions.

The issue is to be discussed at Wednesday’s city Finance & Budget Committee, scheduled for 5 p.m., at the Lorraine H. Morton City Hall Council Chambers, 909 Davis St.

The city has been receiving funds from the Pesonal Property Replacement Tax (PPRT), a tax established by the state to replace a tax on corporations that was declared unconstitutional, starting in 1979.

Until a few years ago, revenues from the tax which once topped $6 million went straight into the city’s General Fund and was divvied up from there.

But with the city approving a landmark policy putting funding of pensions on a 100% track by 2040, pension officials pushed for the PPRT funds to be dedicated to the payments, maintaining that was the state’s original intent.

Jack Mortell, the president of the Firefighter’s Pension Board, first called attention to the issue in 2022, finding a small percentage of the tax had been dedicated to pension payments in the 20 years previously.

— By Bob Seidenberg

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