Ford plant seeking reduced tax bill

By PATRICK BRENNAN TIMES-JOURNAL

Posted 4 hours ago

Elgin county and Southwold township will split legal fee costs when it comes to an appeal of an assessment ruling that reduces the amount of tax the Ford plant will pay.

The county and Southwold are jointly appealing the assessment ruling.

Jim Bundschuh, director of financial services for the county, said a resolution authorizing the move, reflects the position both the county and Southwold have always taken, but this acknowledges a legal firm is being retained.

Ford is appealing the assessment of its property in Southwold. It wants its assessment to be approximately $12.5 million, about half of the current $24 million figure.

Up until now, MTE Paralegal has been representing the county and Southwold.

"They're still retained, but there's also going to be a law firm involved," Bundschuh noted. "We're just saying yes, we agree to share the total cost."

None of the sides know now what the costs will be, Bundschuh said.

"It's going to depend on how lengthy the battle is," he said. "In the grand scheme, the legal costs are relatively small compared to the outcome. What's the result of the appeal? That's the one that's hard to budget for.

"What kind of rebate will we potentially have to give to Ford? That's the difficult one to put our heads around."

The appeal means the county won't be able to reduce its budgeted amount it would have used for tax writeoffs, Bundschuh noted.

"We now have to keep it at elevated levels," he said. "We'll see where that appeal comes out and, hopefully, we have some good news at the end. It's possible we'll be able to settle this without having to go to arbitration and that will keep the legal fees down and it's in both parties' interest to do that and only time will tell which direction we're going.

"I think in the long run, Ford is going to be reasonable."

The next meeting for all parties is scheduled for March.

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Source: http://www.stthomastimesjournal.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3439211

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Nigeria troops appear; president offers concession (AP)

LAGOS, Nigeria ? For the first time since protests erupted over spiraling fuel prices, soldiers barricaded key roads Monday in Nigeria's two biggest cities as the president offered a concession to stem demonstrations that he said were being stoked by provocateurs seeking anarchy.

Soldiers in Lagos fired apparent live rounds over the heads of several hundred protesters who were walking to a park where demonstrations were held last week ? and where armored personnel carriers and troops awaited on Monday.

The deployment of troops is a sensitive issue in a nation with a young democracy and a history of military coups. President Goodluck Jonathan said in his speech that was televised early Monday that agitators have hijacked the demonstrations, which were initially focused on his removal of a fuel subsidy but more recently focused on government corruption and inefficiency.

At a park in Lagos' Ojota neighborhood where more than 20,000 people had demonstrated Friday, two military armored personnel carriers were parked near an empty stage. About 50 soldiers and 50 other security personnel surrounded the area carrying Kalashnikov rifles, waving away those who tried to enter to resume demonstrations. A crowd of several hundred people gathered a few hundreds yards (meters) away.

"They are here because they don't want us to protest," said Remi Odutayo, 25, referring to the soldiers in the park. "They are using the power given to them to do something illegal" by stopping demonstrators from gathering.

A few miles (kilometers) away, about 300 protesters marched on a highway toward Ojota. One waved a white puppy above his head like a protest placard. When they approached a military checkpoint, soldiers slung their Kalasnikov rifles to their sides and let the demonstrators pass unhindered. But then around 20 soldiers arrived in two pickup trucks, bayonets affixed to their assault rifles. They told the protesters to go back. Soldiers fired into the air and tear-gassed the crowd to disperse it.

In Nigeria's second-largest city of Kano, soldiers and police barricaded entrances to protest venues, including a park near a university and a square in the city center.

Jonathan announced the government would subsidize gasoline prices to immediately reduce the price to about $2.27 a gallon. The concession might not be enough to stem outrage over the government's stripping of fuel subsidies on Jan. 1 that kept gas prices low in this oil-rich but impoverished nation. Even with the measure announced Monday, gasoline would still be more than 50 cents a gallon higher than it was just 16 days ago. Most people live on less than $2 a day in Africa's most populous nation. Tens of thousands have marched in cities across the nation.

In Lagos, a city of 15 million, army soldiers set up a checkpoint Monday morning on the main highway that feeds traffic from the mainland into its islands. An AP reporter saw more than 10 soldiers carrying assault rifles and wearing camouflage uniforms. On Ikoyi Island, where some of Nigeria's wealthy live, air force personnel erected roadblocks of metal barricades and debris at a roundabout where more 1,000 protesters had regularly gathered last week. The airmen asked drivers who they were and where they were headed before letting them pass.

At the Lagos headquarters of the Nigeria Labor Congress, some 50 protesters gathered Monday despite requests from union leaders to stay home. Lawyer Bamidele Aturu led the crowd in chants and cheers, comparing the president to military rulers of the past who used soldiers to suppress dissent.

"It's very clear the revolution has begun!" Aturu shouted. However, those gathered looked warily at passing pickup trucks filled with soldiers.

Wearing a traditional black kaftan, Jonathan was alone on camera as he read from a printed speech on state TV.

"It has become clear to government and all well-meaning Nigerians that other interests beyond the implementation of the deregulation policy have hijacked the protest," Jonathan said. "This has prevented an objective assessment and consideration of all the contending issues for which dialogue was initiated by government. These same interests seek to promote discord, anarchy and insecurity to the detriment of public peace."

Jonathan's speech comes after his attempt to negotiate with labor unions failed late Sunday night to avert the strike entering a sixth day. Nigeria Labor Congress President Abdulwaheed Omar said early Monday morning he had ordered workers to stay at home over Jonathan's fears about security.

The strike began Jan. 9, paralyzing the nation of more than 160 million people. The root cause remains gasoline prices: Jonathan's government abandoned subsidies that kept gasoline prices low on Jan. 1, causing prices to spike from $1.70 per gallon (45 cents per liter) to at least $3.50 per gallon (94 cents per liter). The costs of food and transportation also largely doubled.

Anger over losing one of the few benefits average Nigerians see from living in an oil-rich country led to demonstrations across the nation and violence that has killed at least 10 people. Red Cross volunteers have treated more than 600 people injured in protests since the strike began, officials said.

Jonathan and other government officials have argued that removing the subsidies, which are estimated to cost $8 billion a year, would allow the government to spend money on badly needed public projects across a country that has cratered roads, little electricity and a lack of clean drinking water for its inhabitants. However, many remain suspicious of government as military rulers and politicians have plundered government budgets since this African nation won independence from Britain in 1960.

The strike also could cut into oil production in Nigeria, which produces about 2.4 million barrels of crude a day and remains a top energy supplier to the U.S. A major oil workers association threatened Thursday to stop all oil production in Nigeria at midnight Saturday over the continued impasse in negotiations. However, the Nigeria Labor Congress said the association had held off on the threatened production halt.

___

Associated Press writer Bashir Adigun in Abuja, Nigeria, and Ibrahim Garba in Kano contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120116/ap_on_bi_ge/af_nigeria_fuel_subsidy

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Sunday Links (Theagitator)

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Lenovo Unveils IdeaTab S2: Light Weight 10-inch Slate Runs Android 4.0

When Lenovo launched its first consumer tablet, the IdeaPad Tablet K1, last summer we were impressed with the device?s attractive design and unique UI enchancements, but a little disappointed in its thick frame and relatively heavy?1.6-pound weight. It looks like Lenovo has taken these concerns to heart, because tonight the company announced the IdeaTab S2, a svelte successor to the K1 which weighs just 1.27 pounds and measures a mere .34 inches thick. It?s also the first Lenovo tablet to come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box.

Powered by a 1.5-GHz dual-core Qualcomm?8x60A/8960 CPU, the IdeaTab S2 promises more than enough performance for demanding Android games or playing full HD video. The speedy CPU and thin chassis should not impede battery life as Lenovo claims the tablet will last up to 10 hours on a charge. Other key features include an 5-MP rear camera, 1.3-MP front camera, ?micro HDMI out, and a micro SD card slot.

Inside, the IdeaTab S2 ?has 1GB of RAM and either 16, 32, or 64GB of Flash memory. The tablet comes with 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity, but some units will also support 3G.

The IdeaTab?s 10.1-inch IPS screen does not appear to offer any huge improvements over the previous generation as it still offers a standard 1280 x 800 resolution at a time when some manufacturers are starting to roll out slates with higher pixel densities. However, the optional keyboard dock (pictured above) promises a superior typing experience and an additional 10 hours of battery life.?

There?s no word yet on pricing or availability, but we expect to get a closer look at the IdeaTab S2 this week at CES.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LAPTOPBuyingGuides/~3/kx0tSps1iuY/lenovo-unveils-ideatab-s2-light-weight-10-inch-slate-runs-android-4-0

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new-hampshire-gop-debate-2012 - Business Insider

The candidates will be debating live from New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday's primary there and its likely voters can expect some fireworks.?

After a strong showing in the Iowa caucuses Rick Santorum has experienced a slight bump in the New Hampshire polls, though not nearly enough to seriously threaten Mitt Romney's double digit lead.

Ron Paul, meanwhile, continues to poll in second place, 20 pts behind Romney but 10 pts ahead of Gingrich, Santorum and Jon Huntsman, who skipped Iowa to focus on New Hampshire. Rick Perry is barely registering at one percent.

All eyes are likely to be on Newt Gingrich tonight.? Gingrich is the strongest debater in the field and his brutal concession speech in Iowa made clear he intends to go straight for Romney's jugular.??

10:43 PM | Stephanopoulos asks: Where would you be if you weren't here tonight?

Perry: At the shooting range (in the middle of the night?)

Gingrich: At a football game

Santorum:?Huddled with the family watching football.?

Romney: "Football. I love it.'?

Paul: If the rest of the family fell asleep I'd be reading an economics textbook.?

Huntsman: I'd be on the phone with my two sons in the Navy.?

_AND THAT'S A WRAP!

10:35 PM | Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney mix it up on China

Romney decides to savage Jon Huntsman on China, clobbering him for implementing Obama's trade policies while "the rest of us were trying to get Republicans elected."

Huntsman responds by saying something in Chinese.

10:27 PM | Mitt Romney quotes the Declaration of Independence....

And the ABC cameras go wild with sweeping panning motions and heroic angles showing his stout chin.?

This really isn't a fair contest.?

10:25 PM | Rick Perry interrupts

and pretends to answer Ron Paul, while mouthing some bromides about getting Washington working again.?

A really dispiriting performance.?

10:23 PM | Ron Paul: What is your positive, practical vision?

We have to regain our freedoms. And we have to understand how bubbles develop and are burst. "The people that built up this debt, went to Washington and got a bailout."?

And we have to understand the business cycle. ?

10:21 PM | Mitt Romney looks like the nominee already

He is not attacking anyone, and no one is attacking him. Mitt Romney instead talks freely about his ideas, and his vision for the country in the most glowing terms. So far he is totally untouched.?

10:19 PM | Rick Santorum, trying to distinguish himself on manufacturing

"I come from southwest Pennsylvania.... the heart of steel country."?

He says that in the past labor and capital didn't understand global competition and made mistake, but now regulation is the culprit in killing jobs.?

10:17 PM | Gov. Huntsman, "Where's the money going to come from?"

"In order to pay your bills you have to expand your economic base..... but think of where this country would be if during the first two years of Barack Obama we had a different president. .. I would have cleaned out all the loopholes and deductions from this tax code."?

10:16 PM | Over an hour in and "jobs" is brought up again

Mitt Romney, "I believe in an America that is built on opportunity and freedom, not Barack Obama's welfare state."?

10:05 PM | Rick Santorum to Paul

"If we had your foreign policy, we wouldn't have a fleet to pick them up." Referring to the Iranian fishermen recently rescued by U.S. Navy from pirates in the Gulf.?

10:04 PM | Here we go, Ron Paul on foreign policy

"I don't want Iran to get a nuclear weapon. I voted to go after Osama Bin Laden."?

"The president is not a king.

"There are some in Washington who cannot wait until they start bombing Iran."?

10:02 PM | Rick Perry

Rick Perry suggests sending troops back into Iraq. "The president is kowtowing to his liberal leftist base," he says.?

It seems that RIck Perry forgot that Obama drew troops down on the timeline established by George W. Bush and Nouri Al Maliki.?

10:00 PM | Rick Santorum, "This president has sanitized every defense document"

The word Islam doesn't appear in any document "becuase we are fighting a politically correct war."?

9:59 PM | Rick Santorum on where Obama has made mistakes

"in Iraq, Egypt, I would argue Libya, Israel."?

9:58 PM | Newt Gingrich piles on the adjectives

"Afghanistan is a TINY piece of a GIGANTIC mess." Gingrich is back t taking it up another level.?

9:57 PM | Huntsman: "I think civil war is ahead in Afghanistan.."

"I don't want to be the president that invests another penny in a civil war."?

9:55 PM | Moderators to Huntsman: when should the troops come home?

"By the end of 2013, we ought to draw them down.... I don't want to be nation-bilding in Southeast Asia when this nation needs building now."?

9:54 PM | Rick Perry Again!

Perry cites the lines from his ad on the Barack Obama "administration's war on religion."?

9:53 PM | Ron Paul, will you run as a third party candidate?

I've all but ruled it out. Let me see how it goes. Paul is finally taking it easy.?

9:51 PM | Mitt Romney on marriage

"3000 years of human history should not be discarded"

9:51 PM | Gingrich switches gears

Irritated that it is taking so long to get through this topic. Gingrich blames media and "anti-Christian bigotry" in an answer that gets big applause. He cited the closure of Catholic adoption agencies due to changes in the marriage laws of Massachucetts.?

And Romney jumps right on the bandwagon Gingrich created.?

9:46 PM | What would you say personally to really sympathetic gay people?

Gingrich talks about the "sacrament of marriage" and implies that the push for gay marriage is an imposition on an important institution.?

Huntsman says that civil unions, which he supports are "fair" and notes that he is a traditionalist on marriage between one man and one woman.?

Santorum is asked an emotionally charged question about same-sex parents adopted. He explains that marriage is a federal issue and that state laws handle adoption. And elaborates that a Federal Marriage Amendment would abrogate existing gay marriages.?

Romney on what he would say to a sympathetic gay couple: there could be hospital visitation rights, civil contracts, etc.. but to say that marriage is something other than between a man and a woman is not needed.?

9:41 PM | Stephanopolous asks Mitt Romney to answer for a view that Rick Santorum doesn't actually hold

...on whether states can ban contraception.?

And Mitt Romney is beating this question to death. And instead of getting into the specifics of Constitutional law, or the morality of contraception, he is reciting basic civics lessons.?

9:35 PM | ABC producers are highlighting conflicts that involve Santorum

The media has accepted that he is a top-tier candidate.?

9:33 PM | Ron Paul is asked about the racial overtones of his newsletters...

and he calls it a diversion from issues that matter, before pivoting (effectively) to saying that their is racism in the judiaciary in teh enforcmeent of drug laws. "How many times have you seen a white rich person get the death penalty."?

This may actually be a sentiment that has enver been expressed in a national poltical debate of any party.?

9:31 PM | Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich are getting testy.

Paul calls it a pet peeve when people get deferrents.?

Gingrich says he wasn't elligible, and says that he "personally resents" Paul's line of rhetoric.?

9:27 PM | Dr. Paul has called you [Gingrich] a "chicken hawk"

Dr. Paul says a lot of things. That's his style, says Gingrich, with a completely intensified hatred of Paul since his past events.?

The idea that a veteran in the North Country has to go to Boston is "totally fundamentally wrong"??

9:26 PM | General Comment on the debate so far

Romney is playing nice with everyone at precisely the moment when their strategy should be to directly attack him. He's guiding them to attack each other.?

9:24 PM | Romney's gesture of kindness to Huntsman

Reflects total confidence in his ability to win the nomination. That's why he is saying he would "endorse whoever becomes the nominee"?

9:23 PM | ABC moderators invite Jon Huntsman to attack anyone

Huntsman passes up the free chance and mentions that he ran the most complex embassy.?

And when the moderators asked Romney to respond to Huntsman saying he would be best qualified, Romney played nice and said, "He'd certaintly be better than Barack Obama."?

Romney is confident.?

9:22 PM | Huntsman: Why You As Commander In Chief?

"It's about leading organizations, leading peole and creating a vision."?

He talks about Utah's record as #1 in job creation than slaps Mitt's Massachucetts for being #47.?

9:19 PM | Perry fires at Paul about inserting earmarks while voting against the spending bills

Paul defends himself, "I'm a Constitutionalist"

9:18 PM | Oh there's Rick Perry!

Perry tries to distance himself from the squabbling between Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. "I think you've just seen a great example of why I am in this race. Because I, with the possible exception of Jon Huntsman, am a real Washington outsider."

9:17 PM | Really an extended battle between Paul and Santorum.

"You're a big spender, that's all there is to it. You're a Big Government conservative." says Paul

"You're right Ron, I don't vote against everything." says Paul.?

9:16 PM | Paul throwing elbows.

"I hate to bring this up, but he was voted one of the most corrupt members of Congress because he took so much money from the lobbyists."

9:15 PM | Rick Santorum: "Do I Have 20 minutes to respond"

"You should know better than to cite George Soros like groups" he scolds Paul, while calling him a libertarian.?

9:13 PM | Nine minutes in before we get to Ron Paul...

Ron Paul is now trying to explain the specifics of his attack ads on Rick Santorum, but settles for just repeatedly calling him a "Big Government Conservative" and a big time "lobbyist"

9:12 PM | Romney seems to be enjoying attacks on his record on Bain.

He is previewing his general election response to Obama's Bain attacks, which is basically: "You want to put capitalism on trial? I dare you."

9:10 PM | ABC spending a lot of time on Bain Capital, now asking Huntsman to attack him

Huntsman says its "part of his record and its going to be talked about" before shifting into talking about himself.?

9:09 PM | Again the moderators stoke conflict between Romney and another candidate...

... this time Gingrich, over whether Romney is a heartless downsizing, vampiric capitalist. Romney is giving a Harlem Globetrotters like strut through stories of him of turning around companies.?

9:07 PM | And George moves onto Gingrich

... whom everyone expects to be a flaming mess tonight.?

9:06 PM | The moderators solicit a low-level conflict between Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney

Making sure that Romney is the star of the show.?

9:05 PM | Santorum says he's the best for commander in chief

Santorum says that yes he was talking about Romney!

9:04 PM | First question to Romney on new 200k jobs. Are you an optimist?

"It's not thanks to President Obama" and his "policies have made the recovery more tepid" ?

Romney took about five seconds to get into a rhythym and then he found his groove.?

9:01 PM | ABC already differing this as a Rick Santorum vs. Mitt Romney contest - with a Newt sideshow

Although we somehow doubt their claim that "all eyes are on New Hampshire"

8:59 PM | So... ABC is showing WIPEOUT before the debate.

Seems appropriate. A couple of guys falling flat on their face.?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/liveblog-the-first-gop-debate-of-2012-live-from-new-hampshire-2012-1

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More of Florida could open to hunters

LECANTO --?

More of Florida's lands could open to hunters.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will look at a proposal Thursday night to allow hunters to use more of the agency's land.

Four of the district's areas could open.

Those areas are:

• Lake Panasoffkee in Sumter County
• Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County
• Chassahowitzka River and swamps in Citrus County
• Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County

The meeting is at the Lecanto Government Building at 3600 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto at 6:00 p.m.

?

?

Source: http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2012/january/365990/More-of-Florida-could-open-to-hunters?cid=rss

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Mitt Romney on Iowa: ?We?re going to win this thing? (The Ticket)

Romney in Marion (Evan Vucci/AP)

MARION, Iowa?Appearing before a jubilant crowd at a rally here, Mitt Romney appeared to predict a victory in Tuesday's Iowa caucuses?surprising his own advisers in the process.

"We're going to win this thing with all of our passion and strength and do everything we can to get this campaign on the right track to go across the nation and pick up other states, to get the ballots I need, the votes I need, to become our nominee," the former Massachusetts governor declared.

His statement, delivered in the final moments of a rally in a city that Romney overwhelmingly won back in 2008, took his campaign advisers by surprise.

Asked about the quote by a reporter, David Kochel, Romney's top Iowa strategist, immediately turned to Stuart Stevens, Romney's chief political strategist, and said, "Did you hear that? Our guy said we're going to win Iowa."

His campaign immediately tried to walk back the statement, insisting on background that Romney was referring to the general nomination battle, not Iowa. But they declined to specifically dispute his remarks on the record.

While Romney has expressed confidence about his chances Tuesday, it's the first time he's bluntly suggested he would win Iowa, a state he has not focused his campaign on until recently. He and his advisers have repeatedly insisted the contest Tuesday remains up for grabs and that the campaign would be happy with a top three finish.

"This nomination isn't going to be decided by a single contest in Iowa," Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's senior adviser, told reporters earlier Monday. "The primary is actually a series of contests. We are going to win some of those contests and were are going to do less well in others, but at the end of the day we think we will have the requisite number of delegates to be the nominee."

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20120103/el_yblog_theticket/mitt-romney-on-iowa-were-going-to-win-this-thing

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