District 3 McHenry County Board Candidate Lyn Orphal Weighs In

As with a number of candidates, former County Board member Lyn Orphal did not answer the ALAW Questionnaire, so you will be denied the comparison answers to its questions provide.

Nevertheless, McHenry County Blog has obtained her palm card and a letter which you can see below.  As usual, click to enlarge.

The front of Lyn Orphal’s palm card tells of her “eyes and ears of experience.”

The back of the piece points to her ten years service on the McHenry County Board, plus her corporate, community and teaching experience.

This letter is also part of Lyn Orphal’s campaign to win election to the County Board.  She emphasizes the need for communication, tells of her economic problems and the county board’s vote to hike taxes.  Orphal explains why she opposed the countywide election of the Board Chairman, pointing to the possibility of a Republican version of Mike Madigan.  She, however, criticizes leadership for failing to build consensus.

“I’m one of you,” Lyn Orphal’s letter continues.  She criticizes “leadership” again, saying it “needs to change.”

Orphal’s web site can be found here.

In looking at her page on County Board experience, I see no reference to what I shall always remember her for.

To the utter surprise of McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler, she moved to strike all language about the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax from the re-write of the Animal Control Code.

Those who presented the revised ordinance expected to use the money to finance a more elaborate facility in Crystal Lake.

McHenry County Blog ran an almost daily campaign against the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax from house cat Keely’s perspective.

The campaign penetrated the political Establishment enough that ordinance sponsor Tina Hill even referred to her proposal as a “Cat Tax,” before realizing her (what word should I use, “embarrassing,” no, “hilarious” is better; I was laughing too loudly in the audience) mistake.

One of the arguments for the tax was to make certain that all cats were inoculated against rabies…all cats but those most likely to have it, barn cats.

The proposal made no sense and public pressure was so great that Orphal made a last minute decision to offer her amendment to the ordinance.

It succeeded.

Now Keely Cat can rest comfortably assured that the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collector will not come searching for him.

= = = = =

To refresh people’s memories of this example of over-regulation by local Republicans, I’ll show you the January 31, 2008, story that I ran before the GOP primary election two years ago. (Please note, “Chainsaw Jack” Franks that you are not the first I have taken on for trying to over-regulate us in McHenry County.):

Remembering the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Now that County Board Members Are Up for Election

Keely Cat takes a dim view of those county board members who wanted to send out the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collector. (He also takes a dim view of people who wake him up to take his picture to illustrate a story like this.) Catkins still can’t understand why they thought he couldn’t take care of any rabid bat that might penetrate the Skinner household. The bugs he has hunted are no longer around and, if he could get out of the sun porch, he knows that chiprats would be no problem.

Now that the primary election is but a week away, I’m going to give you a chance to read my article on the McHenry County Board’s 2007 defeat of the Republican Cat Tax.

The folks running for re-election (or, in the case of one running for higher office) who voted to impose the Cat Tax in order to help pay for new animal control shelter on Route 14 in Crystal Lake follow (updated for 2012):

  • Mary Donner of Crystal Lake, District3
  • John Heisler of Crystal Lake, District 2
  • Tina Hill of Woodstock, District 5
  • John Jung of Woodstock, District 5
  • Ken Koehler, County Board Chairman, Crystal Lake, District 2
  • Anna May Miller of Cary, District 1
  • Virginia Peschke of Woodstock, District 5
  • Sandra Salgado of McHenry, District 4
  • Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake, running for State Rep. unopposed

The original February 21, 2007, article follows. For some reason Google has removed the original photographs, even though I paid extra to keep the up.

11 Republicans, 1 Democrat Kill McHenry County Republican Cat Tax

If you ever think that your voice can’t make a difference in local government, think again!

Both opponents and proponents of the Republican Cat Tax mentioned they had been lobbied by their constituents.

And some of them used language (“Cat Tax Collector”) that made me know that McHenry County Blog readers had been spreading the word.

The McHenry County Board, stacked 23-1 in favor of the Republican Party, defeated the cat tax backed by County Chairman Ken Koehler (he called it a “fee”) and nine other GOP county board members.

Lyn Orphal

The motion to eliminate the cat tax from the revision of the animal control ordinance passed 12-10 on a motion by Lyn Orphal, seconded by Mary Lou Zierer. Perhaps Republicans have been this split on a board vote before. I don’t follow it closely enough to know. It must be a rarity, however, for a county board chairman not to get his way.

The 11 Republicans voting to kill the Republican Cat Tax follow. (Those in bold face type are on the ballot–updated for the 2012 election.)

  • Yvonne Barnes of Cary, a newcomer
  • Sue Draffkorn of Wonder Lake
  • Randy Donley of Union
  • Ed Dvorak of Crystal Lake
  • John Hammerand of Wonder Lake
  • Mary McCann of Woodstock, just elected
  • Lyn Orphal of Crystal Lake
  • Nick Provenzano of McHenry
  • Daniel Ryan of Huntley, just elected
  • Dan Shea of Fox River Grove
  • Mary Lou Zierer of Marengo

Newly elected Democratic Party member Jim Kennedy of Lake in the Hills joined this majority of voting Republicans (two were absent) to kill the cat tax.

Get down, Catkins. I’m writing a story.

Don’t worry, you’re safe now from the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collectors.

Relax.

I’ll scratch your chest and neck later.

Those voting in favor of the Cat Tax ordinance, which would require rabies inoculation, plus the fee (which even a supporter slipped and called a “cat tax”), couched their arguments primarily toward being fair to both dog and cat owners, plus getting ahead of the spread of cat rabies, which is in Pennsylvania.

Those voting in favor of imposing the Cat Tax Hike were all Republicans. Their names follow (those on the ballot shown in bold face type–updated for the 2012 election):

  • Ken Koehler, County Board Chairman, Crystal Lake
  • Marie Chmiel of Crystal Lake
  • Mary Donner of Crystal Lake, just elected
  • John Heisler of Crystal Lake
  • Tina Hill of Woodstock
  • John Jung of Woodstock
  • Anna May Miller of Cary
  • Virginia Peschke of Woodstock
  • Sandra Salgado of McHenry
  • Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake

= = = = =
Here, minus Chairman Ken Koehler, are those who attended the Cat Tax County Board meeting. (Click to enlarge.)

Koehler is pictured in profile on top, while Lyn Orphal, the Crystal Laker who made the motion to kill the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax is just below.

Keely cat is shown relaxing after the death of the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collector ordinance.


Comments

District 3 McHenry County Board Candidate Lyn Orphal Weighs In — 3 Comments

  1. Had the Board not purchased such an expensive facility on Rt. 14, the Cat Tax may not have been necessary.

    Until my cat can get a job to support her luxurious lifestyle (sleeps 20+ hours a day) and make a contribution toward this tax, i Vote No on any future Cat Taxes.

  2. Why not have an incompetence tax?

    We could make a fortune with just politicians alone!!!

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