Got this from a friend of McHenry County Blog and thought readers might find it of interest:
Now that Annual Financial reports are posted on the State Comptroller’s web site, the information is more readily available.
Information below was retrieved from the most current AFRs posted.
Most info is from 2013 but Huntley Parks, Lake In the Hills and Hebron Townships only have 2012 posted.
I find it of significance that the four Park Districts spend more money for Parks related items then all the Townships do for everything they do.
Towns like Harvard and several others fund their Parks without a Parks District.
In total, when we add Park District expense to Parks related expenses listed by Municipalities, a total of $37,955,680 is spent.
Criticism has been leveled against Townships relative to legal bills, employee benefits and pay rates but even in total, Townships spend $28,493,731, which is far less than what is spent on Parks.
Here is what some special units of government in McHenry County spend:
Cary Park District |
$7,047,051 |
Crystal Lake Park District |
$13,226,709 |
Huntley Park District |
$8,746,275 |
Marengo Park District |
$818,908 |
TOTAL Park Districts |
$29,838,943 |
Here are some more government expenditures for recreational purposes:
Algonquin |
$1,751,978 |
Bull Valley | |
Cary | |
Crystal Lake |
$550,248 |
Fox River Grove | |
Greenwood | |
Harvard |
$357,933 |
Hebron | |
Holiday Hills | |
Johnsburg |
$40,805 |
Lake In The Hills |
$609,919 |
Lakemoor |
$167,153 |
Lakewood |
$871,984 |
Marengo | |
McCullom Lake |
$32,784 |
McHenry |
$1,989,343 |
Oakwood Hills |
$19,566 |
Port Barrington |
$25,211 |
Prairie Grove |
$5,277 |
Richmond |
$17,770 |
Ringwood |
$13,146 |
Spring Grove |
$82,163 |
Trout Valley | |
Union | |
Wonder Lake |
$25,009 |
Woodstock |
$1,556,448 |
Total ‘Parks” expenses |
$8,116,737 |
Total Municipal ‘Parks’ Expenses plus Parks Districts |
$37,955,680 |
Next, for comparison purposes, our researcher lists the expenditures for townships.
Township Name |
Total Expense |
Algonquin |
$5,337,443 |
Burton |
$254,201 |
Richmond |
$895,630 |
Hebron |
$589,674 |
Alden |
$334,412 |
Chemung |
$540,765 |
Dunham |
$1,040,639 |
Hartland |
$456,131 |
Greenwood |
$1,353,534 |
Seneca |
$350,078 |
Marengo |
$852,222 |
Coral |
$394,484 |
Riley |
$429,047 |
Dorr |
$3,560,253 |
McHenry |
$5,310,860 |
Grafton |
$1,905,723 |
Nunda |
$4,888,635 |
TOTAL Townships – all expenses including Highways |
$28,493,731 |
In addition, McHenry Township lists a Parks expense of $290,613 and the Conservation District lists expenses totaling $6,954,482 for Recreation.
Filing for the April 2015 election is December 15-22, 2014. That’s when park district, library district, village, fire protection district and other special district leaders get elected. The first day for passing petitions is September 23th.
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You can compare this year’s park district tax takes with last year’s here.
The same comparison can be found for townships here.
And Bob Anderson wants to shut down Townships and give the Road Maintenance jobs to the County which tends to come up with projects to WASTE taxpayer dollars?
Park & Ride; Continuous Flow Intersection, Salt Storage; Roundabouts; skim-coat paving which fails after one week; Fleming Road; Alden Road etc. etc.
Where is Jack Franks?
He has access to the same information!
Why were Park Districts not targeted for elimination?
Targeted Cautious?
Park Districts are more powerful than any entity you will ever encounter in politics.
You ever try to sue city hall?
Try that with a park district.
What’s the biggest park district expense?
Usually golf courses.