Economic Opportunity

              Volume 1, Issue 5
1, Issue 2
When you are enrolled in the
Illinois Funds E-Pay Program,
you can rest assured that your
public integrity has been taken
into account. E-Pay complies
with Illinois statutes and with
national credit card association
regulations (which carry penal-ties
for violations) and ACHA
(National Automated Clearing
House Association) rules.
Both public and private entities
have been assessed monetary
penalties ranging from $500 up
to $25,000. Credit card asso-ciations
have also terminated
accounts for subsequent viola-tions.
1) VISA regulations al-low
a tieredconvenience fee
for Internet and IVR phone
payments for taxes only
(income, real estate), while all
other payables must use a “flat
fee” convenience fee formula. 2)
Regulations requiring that a
check debit transaction carry the
same convenience fee as a credit
card transaction when both debit
and credit options are offered.
Illinois law requires your credit
card acceptance service to be
competitively bid, but you can
avoid the time and cost of doing
your own bid by enrolling under
the state’s contract. We have
already done the procurement
for you, and E-Pay has pricing
that you will find hard to beat.
The Illinois Funds E-Pay
Program offers three different
payment channels: Internet, IVR
Phone System and Over-the-
Counter program. We have also
established “public access” pay-ment
stations in the form of
kiosks. We work with each and
every participant to help them
find innovative solutions. For
more information on how E-Pay
can become a convenient pay-ment
option to your constitu-ents,
how it can fit into your
collection procedures and how
we can tailor it to fit the needs
you have, call us at: 217-524-
1324 or at 1-800-346-7414.
Visit us www.illinoisepay.com
E-Pay program complies with state law
Coco-Bon, Gourmet was re-cently
awarded a low interest
loan through the STEP-Small
Business Loan Program in co-operation
with Illini Bank of
Springfield. The Coco-Bon
story began with Bonnie Post
exploring her love of fine
chocolate over 2 years ago.
The first year Bonnie re-searched
companies of Gour-met
chocolate, found suppliers
and created, and developed her
own brand of gourmet choco-lates.
The next year was spent
refining the recipes, test mar-keting
her product at local/
Springfield community events and
the Springfield Farmers market,
developing a solid business plan to
open a gourmet chocolate shop,
and scouting possible locations. It
was during the search for a suit-able
location that the dream grew.
Most outlets were larger than
what was needed for a small
chocolate shop, and in order to
support the location Coco-Bon
Chocolate developed into Coco-
Bon Gourmet.
Neal Post was able to help expand
Coco-Bon Chocolate into Coco-
Bon Gourmet with his culinary
training and knowledge as a Prod-uct
Designer. Coco-Bon Gourmet
now offers, not only Bonnie’s
delicious hand made gourmet
chocolates and other fine choco-late
from around the world, but
also gourmet foods from across
the country and France, and a
wide variety of Chef knives and
tools. Coco-Bon Gourmet now
occupies a 1600 sqft store on the
west side of Springfield.
For further information about the
store and products you may call
Bonnie at (217) 793-9904 or visit
them at 2920 Constitution Drive
in Springfield.
ILLINOIS
STATE
TREASURER
Volume 1, Issue 5
1, Issue 2
SPRINGFIELD OFFICE
Cory Jobe
217-557-6436
cjobe@treasurer.state.il.us
Amanda Sturgis
217-557-6436
asturgis@treasurer.state.il.us
Mindy Varley
217-558-6215
mvarley@treasurer.state.il.us
David C. Freeman
217-558-6222
dfreeman@treasurer.state.il.us
CHICAGO OFFICE
John Cieslik
312-814-1788
jcieslik@treasurer.state.il.us
Michael Smith
312-814-8951
msmith@treasurer.state.il.us
Inside This Issue
E-Pay Program
Step-Small Business
Coco-Bon Gourmet
Seniors Who Start Over
Uncork Illinois Wine
Illinois Wine Industry Facts
We’re on the web @
www.state.il.us/treas/
Office of the Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka
Division of Economic Opportunity
Springfield Office Chicago Office
300 West Jefferson Street 100 West Randolph, Suite 15-600
Springfield, IL 62702 Chicago, IL 60601
Fax 217-557-6439 Fax 314-814-3716
Step-Small Business, Illini Bank & Coco-Bon Gourmet
January 2006