It's been a given that the Rockford Register Star has a DEFINITE PRO-LarryBoy bias....

That being accepted, I just was floored by this recent fable they published...
http://www.rrstar.com/carousel/x1849220981/Depth-of-Rockford-jobs-cuts-varies-by-division

"...Some, such as the planning division under community development, have shrunk from 15 employees to 5.3...."

Now, as I commented on their site, it took me all of SEVEN MINUTES to find that was a plain simple LIE!!!!

Look HERE...http://www.ci.rockford.il.us/uploadedFiles/government/Finance/Divisions/CentralServices/CD%20Plan(5).pdf

"...The decline is a result of the creation of the new Construction and Development Services Division budget unit, of which five staff came out of the Planning Division. The balance of the staff changes occurred with the reallocation of staff, between divisions within the department...."

(Gee, I can remember when there were REPORTERS that checked FACTS and ISSUED CORRECTIONS when 'mistakes'(?) were brought to their attention....)

Matter of fact,this smoke and mirror bullcrap starts with the 2007-2009 arbitrary time line in this LarryBoy ADVERTISEMENT....
See, way I see it, need to compare BL(before LarryBoy) with AL(after Larryboy)...
And according to the most recent CAFR....http://www.ci.rockford.il.us/uploadedFiles/government/Finance/FinancialInformation/CAFR/Rockford%20CAFR%201208.pdf

one finds MOST departments within City Hall saw increased staffing AND new positions CREATED since LarryBoy's election(notable exceptions,Police Officers and Pubic Works)[the guys on the streets,not the office/administration/engineer-types that merely sit in offices and call contractors to adminstrate,engineer,etc.]

In REALITY, fire personnel HAS stayed consistent, BUT even with the two-year personnel 'cuts' touted by LarryBoy are STILL ABOVE 2005 levels!!!