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A VAT incentive should be introduced to encourage property owners to bring empty homes back into use, said the Halifax, which believes the estimated 300,000 long term empty properties in England must be reduced in number. In the meantime, all 300,000 of the properties are now susceptible to being taken over by local authorities under recently acquired powers, Halifax warned.
The 300,000 total, which has fallen by 6 per cent in the past three years, equates to 1.6 per cent of the housing stock. In 21 local authorities at least 3.0 per cent of the private dwelling stock is empty, said the Halifax.
The highest number of private empty homes is in Burnley (6.2 per cent), Liverpool (5.6 per cent) and Pendle (5.1 per cent). Nine of the top 21 empty homes areas are located in the north west, while three are in the west midlands.
Racine County - Starting in 2007, the county's Human Services Department will not provide services for elderly people and people with disabilities under a new system, County Executive Bill McReynolds announced this week.A care maintenance organization will provide all services under a direct contract with the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services. Racine County would be one of the first Wisconsin counties to shift from a county-based program, to one run by a state contractor.Under the new plan, services will be provided within two years to all elderly and disabled individuals currently on waiting lists. Currently, the wait time for services can be as long as 10 years.The state has agreed to work towards an entitlement to all long-term care services within three to five years.The county also will operate an Aging and Disability Resource Center, with locations at the Human Services Department, at St.
Fire officials have determined that a trailer home fire that killed an elderly Bemis man this morning originated with an electric coffee maker, according to Fire Marshal Wayne Arnond. Firefighters were sent to a single-wide mobile home at the end of 33 Cypress Gardens Drive at about 7:30 a.m., according to the Jackson Fire Department. .
There certainly is the possibility that terrorists could take advantage of the United States' porous borders to enter the country. But, for the most part, the people who slip over the borders illegally are simply looking for work. That's also true of people who enter legally and then overstay their visas; they just want to work. The economic incentive behind illegal immigration has never been a secret. But a new report by the Inter-American Development Bank puts numbers behind assumptions. Surveys were conducted in New York, Los Angeles and Miami; legal and illegal immigrants were included in the surveys. The results? Latin Americans working in the United States will send $45 billion home this year, a 12 percent increase over 2005. Mexico received the largest amount last year, $20 billion.
West Orange City Council in a meeting today will discuss a proposed five-year contract renewal with Waste Management for trash collection. The city has an existing contract with Waste Management that expires in December. "The city has used Waste Management for several years," said Theresa Van Meter, city secretary for West Orange. However, if council members decide not to agree on the terms of contract then they will have to "go out for bids," she said.In previous meetings, the council has voted to mow the grass on several West Orange properties that have been vacated. The council will discuss taking action to approve a final mowing for the year. "This will be the second time the properties will be mowed," Van Meter said.The council will also consider a request by Cecil Hudson of 1817 Houston.
BOSTON -- Newton Police said a 24-year-old construction worker died in a construction accident at the Chestnut Hill Mall Monday morning. Officers said the man, identified as Joshua Raskett, of 5 Shady Lane, Shrewsbury, was killed in an industrical accident at the Boylston Street mall. They did not release the specifics of the accident. .
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