Labeling himself a “tax fighter,” Jack Franks-backed Democrat Ryan Heuser has launched a second attack on two of the most conservative Republicans on the McHenry County Board.

Hueser again uses a mailing to push for passage of Jack Franks’ County Executive referendum. He is one of very few candidates to support this concentration of power in the hands of one person. He makes no mention that a County Executive will be able to spend up to $25,000 without prior County Board approval.

On his web site, Heuser lists eleven unions and Jack Franks as endorsing him.

Ersel Schuster released this rebuttal to the two Heuser hit pieces:

Ersel Schuster, Member/Candidate McHenry County Board
408 S. Shannon Drive, Woodstock, IL 60098‐9474
815‐338‐2207 or ersel@sbcglobal.net

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

It is with deep disappointment that I feel a need to get this message out to you at this time. However, to those of you who have received copies of the Ryan Heuser campaign pieces, I cannot allow his personal attacks on Diane and myself to go unchallenged.

Diane has responded and her e‐mail has gone out to everyone we could reach. In the event this transmission reaches someone new, Diane’s comments parallel those below.

My response to the deliberate untruths is as follows:

1.  “Work 10 hours a week,”

I would challenge this person and anyone who believes this statement to follow us around for just one week. My thought is that they may not run for the position once they see the effort it takes to do the job. His statement of a 10‐hour work week can be multiplied many times over.

We often field calls late at night or early, early in the morning. I cherish each and every opportunity to speak with and help anyone who contacts me. That is just who I am.

2.  “Raised their salaries three times, increased their pension and receive health care benefits”

• No. I did not vote to raise county board salaries “three” times… I have consistently worked to change the pay structure to a “per diem.” In essences, that would reduce pay as a members would only be paid for meetings they actually attended;
• No. I did not vote to “increase” board members pensions; and,
• No. I have never taken county health insurance.

3. “Raised our property taxes over the past 10 years to be one of the highest in Illinois”

While I have served on this board on prior occasions, this man states that “over the past 10 years” I have voted to increase taxes. I am just completing a “four” year term and Diane is completing a 2 year term on the county board. Had he done his own campaign piece and bothered to check the record, he would know his statement to be false.

4.  “Do NOT support a publically elected County Executive”

The one true statement is that I DO NOT support the County Executive form of government. Among other things, it is adding another level of government and can only raise the cost of doing the county’s business.

5.  “Give themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of benefits.”

I would challenge this person to identify all these benefits! I’ve certainly not seen them.

While I know that folks running for these positions may not have all their facts, it does tell us something about the person when they would publish such outlandish statements without verifying them.

I want to thank you for your past support and encouragement. It is my hope that Diane and I will be able to continue the work we’ve begun in advocating for less county government.