For the past few months, DeKalb city officials and aldermen have analyzed logical measures to ease what is quickly becoming a beleaguered city budget.

Doing so, however, hasn’t come without some disagreements between aldermen, and it could come to a head at the upcoming Sept. 8 council meeting.

For more than two years, DeKalb has had to find alternatives to ensure the city doesn’t fall further onto hard times because of either a lack of funding from the state or decreased health revenues. To combat, DeKalb has considered raising a multitude of city taxes.

Currently, proposed tax increases are being tabled for motor fuel and city sales. The proposal, which calls for a motor fuel increase of two cents per gallon and a city sales tax increase of 1/4 percent, is expected to undergo a final vote on Sept. 8 .

Mayor Greg Sparrow recently voiced his displeasure over a rise in gasoline taxes, citing it as unnecessary and instead wishes to increase the city sales tax alone by 1/2 percent.

In an effort to eliminate the plan before it ever materializes, Sparrow publicly stated he would attempt to veto the proposed motor fuel tax increase. This, however, cannot happen unless five aldermen provide an overriding vote of his veto.

“We have a city council form of government, not a mayoral form of government,” said Fifth Ward Alderman Patrick Conboy, who favors the motor fuel tax and is one of the five votes currently overriding Sparrow. “Our mayor is saying if I don’t agree with what the aldermen say, then I will veto it. Even if the majority want it, he’s going to impose his will and frustrate the process.”

Conboy said he feels it’s difficult to justify a 1/2 percent increase in city sales tax because it would make DeKalb one of the highest sales taxed cities in the state.

“One approach then would be not to increase sales tax significantly and supply money from a gas tax,” Conboy said. “I don’t believe we should fund the whole deficit. We however can cut the shortfall, show some frugality otherwise we’re going to encourage more expenditure and an added burden to the city.”

Fourth Ward Alderman Michael Knowlton, one of the two aldermen supporting Sparrow’s plan to veto a motor fuel tax, said such a tax would promote greater gasoline sales outside of DeKalb.

“You’d see people driving outside of DeKalb looking for cheaper gas,” Knowlton said. “And by raising the sales tax 1/2 percent, we would take care of the deficit and won’t have to revisit this until 2004.”

Knowlton added that a motor fuel tax increase focuses on one group of people whereas a city sales tax would inclusively impact DeKalb residents.

“[Motor fuel taxes] don’t take care of the overall problem at all,” Knowlton said.

Seventh Ward Alderman James Barr, the second alderman to support Sparrow’s veto, said the idea of a motor fuel tax indicates to him that it would provide little advantage to both the city and its residents in the future.

“The simplest solution is not always the best solution,” Conboy said.

Jimmy Sanfilippo doesn’t tolerate underage drinking.

Sanfilippo is the new partial owner and manager of Molly’s Eatery and Drinkery, 1022 W. Lincoln Highway.

Although the business is new for Sanfilippo and his family, he wants to make sure no underage drinking is going on in his bar.

For him, part of making sure no alcohol is served to minors includes preparing a well-trained staff.

"Underage drinkers won’t stop a trained staff who know what they are looking for," Sanfilippo said. "We make sure there is always a doorman at the front door. We don’t take any tickets for driver’s licenses, and we make sure the doormen know their math. There are times when someone might have four days until their 21st birthday and try and get in because it is the same year on their driver’s licenses. Our doormen know to look at the month, day and year."

Molly’s, despite the fact that some of their employees are under 21, continues to take precautions with even its own staff members.

"Some of our workers are under 21," Sanfilippo said. "They can serve the alcohol, they just can’t pour it. We are very strict about them not drinking. We keep a breathalyzer in the back of the office, and if they have been drinking, we will fire them on the spot."

Another issue that arises within the bar is making sure staff members card all people who enter the bar.

"We tell our bartenders and waitresses if they think someone at the bar is under 21, even though they got in the door, ‘card them again,’" Sanfilippo said. "If they get caught serving the person, they get fined as well."

Although underage drinking is common at NIU, law enforcers want incoming and past NIU students who are minors to know the severity of laws and violations that can occur if one is caught drinking.

Lt. Carl Leoni of the DeKalb Police Department stated that students tend to drink more outside when the weather is good or when students are returning to school.

"If you go into a bar and drink underage, you will most likely get caught," Leoni said. "It will cost a minor anywhere from $200-300. If you get caught drinking outside a bar, on a first offense, it could cost a minimum of $200."

"Money is not the only concern" said Margo Ely, DeKalb city attorney.

"College students should realize alcohol charges result in fines, as well as the possibility of suspension of driver’s licenses depending on the disposition and charge," Ely said. "Students coming to college have opportunities," Ely said. "You don’t want to compromise them by engaging in illegal activity. There are other ways to have fun. It takes some time at the beginning of the school year, as kids get educated, to realize we are serious about this."

Higher-than-normal copper levels that plagued some university buildings earlier this month have been lowered, and water at NIU now is safe to drink and bathe in, said Robert Albanese, director of NIU’s physical plant.

All campus water fountains have been tested and either are returning safe levels of copper, or have been equipped with filters to produce safe drinking water, Albanese said.

A similar filtering process called "reverse osmosis" also was performed at the Campus Child Care Center, Albanese said.

Also, water used by NIU food services has returned copper levels below 1.0 milligrams per liter, which means it’s safe to drink.

"We think the problem is under control," Albanese said. "We worked diligently to resolve the problem. ... We don’t want people to have to worry about this in the beginning of the semester."

Earlier this month, copper levels in some buildings had been almost twice as high as the maximum allowable by the Environmental Protection Agency. By law, copper levels can be no higher than 1.3 milligrams of copper per liter of water. Levels at NIU were measured as high as 2.5 milligrams, Albanese said.

Albanese said officials still are investigating why some buildings tested high while others did not. Some just needed the pipes to get working on a regular basis again, he said.

NIU gets its water supply from deep-water wells it shares with the city of DeKalb. In Wednesday’s Northern Star, Jerry Bever, the assistant director of Public Works for DeKalb, said the city and university are working together to find out where the main cause of the problem came from.

With the heat index rising above 100 degrees and the sun beating down directly on their faces, NIU’s marching band practiced its routines 12 hours a day last week.

Each member marched in place to the rhythm of clanking drumsticks, only stopping to switch positions and learn routines.

"Among the 160 students in this year’s marching band, almost every major is represented," said Huskie Band Director Lawrence Stoffel. "The marching band is a very diverse group of students."

It’s not just students with instruments who make up the band. The Silverettes and Color Guard also are responsible for learning routines.

And while the football team may get all the credit for the work they put in between games, members of the band practice at least four days a week throughout the entire season. But the week before school even begins is the most intense training for the marching band, said Ellie Trefz, a junior speech pathology major and a member of the Color Guard.

"This is when we learn all the routines for the first game and the pre-game shows," she said.

The marching band’s season coincides with the football season. And although its training is not the same, it is similar in this regard, that both are very physical activities and both regulated activities, Stoffel said.

"Both know they are valuable entertainment to the community at large," he added.

Even with the long days, Patrick Verhalen, a geography graduate student and drumline member, said the hardest part about being in the marching band is learning and memorizing all the new music.

For other students, the difficulties come with other aspects.

"Being outside for seven hours (at a time)," was difficult, Trefz said.

Stoffel thinks the amount of physical endurance required by the members is the band’s biggest challenge.

"The marching band performs for six hours straight on game days," he said.

They begin with a formal concert, then perform for the tailgaters, followed by the pre-game show. They then preform a half-time show and when many fans have already gone home and the players have hit the locker rooms, they perform a post-game performance.

But all the work isn’t just for the love and adoration from the fans.

Being in the band also is worth one credit, Stoffel said. Grades are based on attendance, student effort, participation, enthusiasm and leadership.

Although the one credit does help, Verhalen said he comes back year after year because he enjoys performing in the stands.

"It’s such a rush to perform in front of 20,000 people," he said.

Last year, the family-owned Junction Bookstore, formerly located at 822 W. Lincoln Highway, closed down because of competition with local competitors Borders Books and Music, 2520 Sycamore Road and Barnes and Noble, 2439 Sycamore Road.

Now, local electronics venues will have competition with Best Buy’s pending arrival in spring 2004.

Donald Paulsen of Paulsen Appliance and Electronics, 245 W. State St., feels confident even with the new competition.

“We’ve been slightly affected when other major companies arrived, but we’re confident with our customers,” Paulsen said.

Ardeshir Niliaram, president of CBSi, 770 Peace Road, said because the economy is down, consumers tend to upgrade their equipment instead of purchasing new ones, which can be beneficial to his company.

Senior economics major Andy Jalley said he’s seen that smaller stores have higher prices.

“Granted that smaller stores have better services, [but] corporate stores have better advantages such as economy and sales,” Jalley said.