Markee Tells Reason for CL High School Board Candidacy

This came from Crystal Lake High School District 155 Board candidate Brennan Markee:

Thank you for the opportunity to make a short presentation.

I am a lifelong resident of District 155 and a 1993 graduate of Crystal Lake Central.

My employment is local.

It is my time to give back to the school and community that I love.

My parents, grandparents and other family members attended school in Crystal Lake.

They are excited that I am seeking the position of Member of the Dist. 155 Board of Education.

I know that I received an excellent education and I want that same opportunity for my children.

I know many teachers and some administrators and am concerned with the morale at our 4 high schools.

I believe that there are issues facing the staff that are getting worse rather than better.

The State of Illinois financial crisis will certainly continue to affect school funding.

Recently, the Illinois legislature killed a bill that would have shifted State Aid away from school districts like 155 to those “poorer” districts which would have the affect of increasing local tax burden.

A similar bill is likely to be filed in the near future.

Bleachers will probably be an issue in the District 155 school board contest.

Bleachers are an issue in the District 155 school board contest.

This must be a primary concern of every Board member.

The current Board and Administration has shown great disdane for the elected officials of the City of
Crystal Lake and caused a public embarrassment over bleachers for the South football field.

Attorney fees and court costs for such a project are unconscionable.

My involvement with local civic organizations has given me the opportunity to meet many of the present and past leaders of our community.

I have been encouraged by their support in this endeavor.

I am available to speak to any issue at any time. I am available on Facebook “Brennan Markee for
District 155 Board.

Thank you.

Brennan Markee


Comments

Markee Tells Reason for CL High School Board Candidacy — 4 Comments

  1. Thanks to the unscrupulous politicians, unions, and all the other special interest groups school finances in Illinois are a train wreck.

    The biggest driver behind the cost shift amongst school districts, is the fact that local school boards hiked salaries, and the General Assembly and Governors hiked pension benefits at the very same time pensions were underfunded and this happened for forty years from 1971 – 2011 in particular and continues today, and state legislators and Governors shifted funding from pensions to General State Aid, and pension obligation bonds were issued to fund pensions.

    Every conceivable way politicians and unions could game the system for today’s political gain at the cost of tomorrow’s fiscal stability was done.

    It is an incredible act of self serving greed.

    How about all those union bosses (23 or so maybe more) who are private sector employees getting to contribute to a public sector pension fund, but they rank and file private sector union employees did not get the same perk, in fact no on should have gotten the perk, it was just more sleazy games by politicians and union bosses using the pension guarantee and thus the backs of taxpayers to guarantee those pensions which use often bogus actuarial assumptions.

    The piglets turned into pigs and then wild boars and were completely out of control.

    I used to think Bill Zettler was a little crass using the pigs at the trough on the cover of his book.

    In fact, he should have labeled the pigs so it’s clear who the pigs are: union bosses, union

    lobbyists, state legislators, Governors.

    Does that mean every single union member is a wild boar.

    No.

    Think about it.

    That means those people pulling the strings.

    The rank and file, even though the leaders are elected by the rank and file, the rank and file for the most part have their heads down doing their job and too many of them soak in the bs from the politicians and lobbyists.

    Anyone who does not include pension funding, and in particlar the state contribution to TRS pension fund, in public education costs, is intentionally or not misleading the public.

    Anyone who claims the pension problem is the result of the “State” not contributing its “fair share” to the pension fund is intentionally or not misleading the public.

    Those are two of the biggest problems in public education today.

    The mainstream public has no clue because the system is so convoluted and there are so many mistruths being told and the reporters just don’t take the time to figure it out.

    To be an effective school board member in this state, all too often, you have to foia information from the school district, because the majority is just spreading the bs and not serving the public and furthermore blocks the reformers access to information, it’s crazy.

    So the biggest problem is not the cost shift, that is just another way of re-allocating current funding.

    The biggest problem is the pension.

    The pension will not be solved until the pension sentence added in 1970 is repealed via constitutional amendment.

    Anyone can read the Teachers Retirement System of the State of Illinois section of the Illinois Pension Code and when you understand that you will understand many of the games being played that hiked the state pension contribution.

    Teachers blaming the state for not making its full pension contribution is like the mafia goon blaming the storekeeper for not making his monthly extortion juice payment, what a farce.

    If the legislators and governors hadn’t hiked the benefits which hiked the states contribution then the state could have made the payments, but, this state is so slimy they probably wouldn’t have made the full payment, because the union lobbyists and politicians would rather fund General State Aid (than pensions) because that means bigger salary hikes now and bigger pensions in the future, pensions which are guaranteed by the State Constitution by one sentence added in 1970 to the State constitution.

    Everyone concerned about a potential school district tax shift should read Illinois Pension Scam by Zettler, atlhough that book skips around and has no index, it’s be best way to understand Illinois Teacher pensions which are the biggest financial taxpayer scam in the state of Illinois thanks to those reasons listed above, bigger than the impact by any cost shift from property tax rich school districts to property tax poor school districts.

    The biggest problem with District 155 is there is no watchdog that has a website to inform the public of what is happening, and the board does not video and audio tape board meetings and archive them on their website.

    It is time for the taxpayer to stop getting bullied by politicians and unions and other special interests in Illinois.

  2. As a former Board member of both D 155 and 47 I wholeheartedly support Brennan and Brett Siegmeier for the D 155 Board, both are local business men with a knowledge of the community and its wants for the children of our community.

    Both being grads of D 155 have a unique perspective that will benefit all of us.

    I am very pleased that Brennan and Brett have chosen to become involved.

  3. Beware of other candidates connections to the teacher’s union.

    Don’t put the foxes in the chicken coop!

  4. I truly believe Change is needed now, it is time to put people in positions who care about the children of our community.

    I feel Brennan would make a great new addition to the board, as someone who has seen all sides of education.

    As a former student, as a parent and as a community member he would be able to take an open minded approach to the much needed change.

    He has the ability to make the tough decisions and is not afraid to do what is needed and what is in the best interest of the children of this community, even if it ruffles feathers.

    He is a very respected professional who gives back and steps up when needed.

    I can not wait to see him in action for the greater good of our district and our children.

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