November 2009 Entries
Friday Nov. 27, 2009
Here are the Elkhart County posts that’ll be up for grabs in 2010 elections:
County commissioner, District 1. Frank Lucchese (R-Elkhart) now holds the spot, which covers Concord and Washington townships.
County council, District 1. Dave Foutz (R-Elkhart) now holds the spot, which covers all of Osolo Township and part of Concord Township.
County council, District 2. Randy Yohn (R-Elkhart) now holds the spot, which covers Baugo and Cleveland townships and parts of Concord Township.
County council, District 3. C.J. Yoder (R-Goshen) now holds the...
Tuesday Nov. 17, 2009
Do you love analyzing property taxes? Do you hate paying property taxes? Either way, here are some figures for 2009, showing where all the property tax money you just paid out is going. I got the raw data, recently completed in conjunction with 2009 property tax bills sent late last month, from the Elkhart County Auditor's Office.
Keep in mind, property taxes — though perhaps the most vilified source of government revenue — represent just one element of funding that helps keep cities, the county, schools and the like afloat.
1. This one shows the individual entities requiring the...
Monday Nov. 9, 2009
If you didn’t think it was a tough real estate market in here in Elkhart County, here are a few stats to scare you straight, if you’re not a home buyer, anyway. These are the latest numbers out there:
Fewer homes are selling. According to the Multiple Listing Service of Elkhart County, home sales totaled 1,054 in the first nine months of the year, from January through September, down from 1,259 in 2008 and 1,567 in 2007. To be fair, new listings also dipped, perhaps in recognition that it’s not a seller’s...
Tuesday Nov. 3, 2009
VIM Recycling has inspired plenty of legal action in the past two years.
Most recently - last week - neighbors living around the wood recycler filed suit against company owner Ken Will in U.S. District Court in South Bend. They say smoke, dust and other emissions from VIM cause them respiratory and other medical problems and they want it closed. Look here.
But that isn't the only wrangling centered on VIM's operation west of Elkhart on Old U.S. 33. Here's a rundown of the action and the latest on each:
The Indiana...