Jack Franks doesn’t have to worry about Republican Tea Party-inspired Tonya Franklin nipping at his heels this fall, so what’s he doing?
He using his energies to pass the County Executive form of government referendum that he gathered signatures for during the County Fair and the McHenry Fiesta Days Parade.
This morning, a day court is closed, he was campaigning in 2010 Republican opponent John O’Neill’s neighborhood.
Jack Franks at the Marengo Settlers Day Parade.
One of his young men even dropped off the flyer that his supporters were passing out at the Marengo Settlers Day Parade on Sunday.
John asked Jack who the Republican group whose name appears on the yard signs.
Franks’ reply was evasive. He didn’t offer up any Republican’s name.
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As you can imagine, it is impossible for me to cover McHenry County politics all by myself. I can only try to hit the highlights.
So, if you see a candidate campaigning or have a local issue that needs airing, please get in touch. Send a photo or two, if you can.
It is impossible to write about everything, as you can easily see.
How to destroy McHenry County.
1. Make McHenry County home rule by passing the county executive form of government referendum in the Nov 2012 general election. Obviously in exchange for supporting the referendum Franks has been promised something. And leaving Franks unopposed just gives him all day to spend passing this lousy referendum. Look at the how much debt some of the home rule municipalities such as Rosemont have. Home rule makes it easier to do things such as issue bonds for pet projects. Typically municipal bonds are borrowed money which taxpayers pay back through property taxes.
2. Elect Beaubien thereby giving Madigan control of 1/2 of McHenry County (Franks and Beaubien). By the way Madigan is a Catholic against abortion so his ads are simply a play on emotions to give him more power. This 52nd race is huge because it gives Madigan parts of McHenry, Lake, Cook, and Kane to spread his tentacles. McSweeney seems like a nice guy but his campaign sucks. He needs to play Chicago style politics. Watch the show The Boss on Starz or knock him on the head to wake him up or do something. Fast.
Passage of the County Executive referendum will not turn McHenry County into a Home Rule government.
Such a referendum could be easily defeated.
Mark, on what planet do you spend most of your time?
You have completely and utterly misunderstood what you’re rallying against.
First and foremost, the referendum explicitly asks whether McHenry County voters want to change to a county-executive form of government, WITHOUT granting the county home-rule authority.
Let me say that again — the referendum doesn’t grant home rule authority, it does the exact opposite.
The most cursory attempt at researching the issue would have told you this.
Why bother let pesky facts (liberal bias) get in the way of your nonsense!
I look forward to a follow up post acknowledging the mistake.
County executive government includes home rule unless it’s exempted. My apologies for not researching if there was an exemption. Cook County has a county executive government with home rule. I have since learned Will County has a county executive government with the home rule exemption as is being proposed in McHenry County. Interesting. Another collar county. Research on this McHenry County executive government referendum would no doubt find many people against it. Franks, who proposed the county executive government for McHenry County, has close ties to Madigan. What are they really trying to accomplish.
Who is behind the “McHenry County Republicans for Lower Taxes” group?
This is the name (in teeny, tiny letters) at the bottom of the County Executive Referendum signs being planted all over McHenry County?
No website.
No phone number.
No names.
This referendum needs to go down the drain that the Drain-O bill should have.
We have an elected official in a major office right now who seems to be AWOL or MIA.
If the County Administrator (not Executive) took off all the time that I think the Sheriff does, he’d get fired. We wouldn’t be able to fire a County Executive.”
What in the world does a County Executive have to do with lowering taxes?
Would he fire half the County employees and cut the County’s share of the tax rate?
Fat chance of that one.
It’s a nice gimmick to tie one to the other, but that’s all it is.
The County’s bite of the tax pie isn’t that big, anyway.
Jack Franks running hard to pass the McHenry County Executive referendum because he plans on being a candidate for the post if it is approved by the voters on November 6th.
Like nearly all elected offices the County Executive office will have no term limits.
Franks figures it’s his to have easily if the referendum is approved.
That would be a big mistake on the part of McHenry County voters.
Franks is a political hack who would become the Mike Madigan of McHenry County.
Beware folks, vote no on this referendum.