A press release from Dan Wilbrandt, one of four candidates to replace State Rep. Mike Tryon:
TAXPAYERS OF McHENRY COUNTY SILENCED BY CONSOLIDATION VOTE
West Dundee – Last week, the McHenry County Board had an opportunity to give a voice to the people: the taxpayers of McHenry County.
Those taxpayers have voices that come from both small and large townships.
They may favor township consolidation or they may not.
All we know now is that their voices will not be heard on the issue.
Carolyn Schofield
Carolyn Schofield made sure of that.
Board member Carolyn Schofield was appointed Chairwoman of the Consolidation Task Force, a group charged with developing a resolution for the Board and a consolidation map.
The meetings she facilitated were unorganized, unprofessional, and unproductive.
Chairwoman Schofield showed that she could not control the room.
With her recent comments during the consolidation vote, she made it very clear that she was unwilling to listen to others’ opinions, criticisms, or phone calls from the taxpayers of McHenry County.
This vote was not about the merits of consolidation.
That was an issue that the taxpayers should have been allowed to fully evaluate before a 2016 vote.
Dan Wilbrandt addresses those assembled in West Dundee.
Last week’s vote became about Carolyn Schofield imposing her opinion and decision on the taxpayers, arguing against consolidation and against a county-wide vote.
This was best exemplified by Carolyn Schofield’s comment that she was the most informed on the consolidation issue.
She missed the whole point.
Two polls were recently conducted in the weeks leading up to the board vote on township consolidation.
An overwhelming majority (approximately 80 percent) in both polls favored allowing consolidation to move forward with a vote by the people of McHenry County.
This should have served as a good indication that the taxpayers, at the very least, wanted to see the measure on the ballot in 2016.
Unfortunately, the voices of the taxpayers of McHenry County were silenced last week.
Carolyn Schofield voted against allowing township consolidation to appear on the ballot, showing that she is out of touch with the residents of McHenry County.
Carolyn Schofield’s vapid responses to just about any question lead me to ask “Is there anyone home up there?”
Please don’t send any more emmpty seats to Springfield.
Dan Wilbrandt is straightforwad, smart, and has substance, something lacking in the other State Rep candidates from his district.
We need Dan to up our credibilty in Springfield.
crlaker, be careful or the feminist goons will come out of the woodwork to tut-tut you about how such comments are sexist.
Tell us of this substance…
You need to think about the shift of power that losing this seat will mean.
Your Congressman aren’t in your county.
Now you are going to lose a state seat.
McHenry county grows less relevant daily.
Don’t discount Paul Serwatka, the regular pols will not like Paul at all@
“Don’t discount Paul Serwatka” indeed!
There is no more “anti-status quo”, proponent of responsible, accountable government” person than he!
Interesting how Wilbrandt articulated perfectly what the consolidation committee was trying to accomplish by getting the issue on the ballot and the discussion that would ensue.
Gottmoller bears as much blame as Schoenfield for torpedoing the voting process.
It doesn’t speak well for his leadership to the 80% of the voters who wanted it on the ballot.
https://illinoyances.wordpress.com/2015/10/07/the-case-wasnt-made-for-township-consolidation/
The Case Wasn’t Made For Township Consolidation
Posted on October 7, 2015 by Steve Reick
Today’s vote by the McHenry County Board to deny the motion to put township consolidation on the March 2016 primary ballot came as a surprise to some, but was, in my opinion, the correct one.
I’ve said all along that I don’t know if consolidation would lower taxes or raise them, but I could not support putting the measure on the ballot unless the proponents made their case. They didn’t. I couldn’t support a leap of faith to change things from what they are now on the strength of some vague promise that their claims would prove to be correct.
Without hard numbers to back up their claims of cost savings, the proponents were left to say that they preferred leaving the issue to the voters, saying that between today and the primary, both sides would make their cases. They said that they didn’t want to stand in the way of the voters by denying them their voice on the matter.
What they failed to understand was that the voters have spoken, they spoke when they elected the members of the County Board to do what governing bodies in a representative republic are supposed to do: they’re supposed to examine the issues and make decisions as to what is and is not in the best interest of the County. They are, in effect, the gatekeepers to the voters’ best interests.
That’s where those who supported this measure failed. They were repeatedly asked to make their case, they had ample opportunity to examine the claims of cost savings and to show us that what they proposed would accomplish those savings. Those numbers were there before we got to today’s vote, and they’ll be there tomorrow. But today was the day that mattered, and they came up short.
Having failed to prove their case, they were left with nothing more than an appeal to emotion. The people of this country are justifiably outraged at government at all levels. An appeal to the emotions of an outraged citizenry is certain to gather support. But again, it’s the job of our elected representatives to overlook emotion, and to do what is in our best interest without passion or prejudice.
It’s the job of the members of the County Board to to represent us, it’s what we elected them to do. Today, those who voted “no” did their job.
Responses to The Case Wasn’t Made For Township Consolidation
1. Paul Serwatka says:
October 7, 2015 at 12:22 am
I wholeheartedly agree!
Steve who?
He ran against Jack Franks and attended many of the consolidation meetings and board vote.
I provided a link for the handicapped like you Watcher1940.
You’re Welcome!
Face it Dan is a political hack looking to grab power while throwing rocks.
The part about the bias polls is laughable at best.
Don’t Consolidate Townships, Abolish Them!
Last line is a gas, referring to out of touch with the residents.
Most residents don’t read the NWH or this or any other gov websites, most didn’t even know this issue was at hand.
When told about the process, and that half the Twhs would see raises in property taxes, most agreed that raising taxes was a no go.
Old saying Dan: Silence is Golden!
Jeebus a common anti gov comment, with some merit.
First who would do the job if they were eliminated?
Second if the County or Municipalities pick up the slack, will they not be bigger and way more likely to be wasteful, like say the County, State and Fed govs?
If you have some numbers and facts, please share them.
I’m aware who Steve is, nob, and I would care what his opinion is why?
I guess only your opinion matters, sad as that is, but you did use a question mark.
Watch1940, you know who Paul Serwatka is right?