Jack Franks’ Big Bait & Switch

It was raining hard enough to merit an umbrella the night of Jack Franks' first Town Hall Meeting in his McHenry County Board Chairmanship campaign.

It was raining hard enough to merit an umbrella the night of Jack Franks’ first Town Hall Meeting in his McHenry County Board Chairmanship campaign.

It was a dark and stormy night for State Rep. Jack Franks’ first Town Hall Meeting.

A view of the Jack Franks Town Hall Meeting from the southwest side of the South School auditorium.

A view of the Jack Franks Town Hall Meeting from the southwest side of the South School auditorium.

A hundred or so folks showed up, a number long-time supporters.

Here is a view of the rest of the South School Auditorium.

Here is a view of the rest of the South School Auditorium.

Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley, who has served as Republican Party Vice Chairman for Outreach, laid hands on the Democrat in his introduction.

Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley, a past GOP Precinct Committeeman, introduced Jack Franks at South High School. (The photo is fuzzy because Franks asked me not to use my camera's flash.)

Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley, a past GOP Precinct Committeeman, introduced Jack Franks at South High School. (The photo is fuzzy because Franks asked me not to use my camera’s flash.)

Backed by his campaign slogan “Cut 10,” Franks stood on the South High School Auditorium stage.

Jack Franks spoke from the Crystal Lake South High School Auditorium stage.

Jack Franks spoke from the Crystal Lake South High School Auditorium stage.

“I will not rest or retreat until we bring down the taxes in McHenry County,” Franks pledged.

Talking of county government, he said, “We will reduce the tax levy by 10%.”

But, wait a minute.

The sign on the wall doesn’t say Franks will stop at cutting county real estate taxes by 10%.

Jack Franks' sticker says he will cut property taxes by 10%.

Jack Franks’ sticker says he will cut property taxes by 10%.


The sticker being given out before the meeting and pasted on water bottles given to people have they were leaving doesn’t say only county government’s tax bill will be cut 10%.

It says, “Cut Property Taxes Now 10%.”

In fact, the message is all in capital letters:

“CUT PROPERTY TAXES NOW 10%.”

As the Crystal Lake Park District’s annual report points out, McHenry County government’s taxes only comprise 9% of one’s tax bill.

What Crystal Lake area governments spend of people's real estate tax dollars.

What Crystal Lake area governments spend of people’s real estate tax dollars.  9% goes to county government.

What voters see and hear when Jack Franks makes his tax cut pitch is that their total property tax bill will decrease by 10%.

Anyone knowing anything about the power of county government knows electing Jack Franks will not result in one’s real estate tax bill being reduced 10%.

If one's Crystal Lake property tax bill were $7,500, here is how much each tax district would receive.

If one’s Crystal Lake property tax bill were $7,500, here is how much each tax district would receive.  County government would get $675 of this bill.

Maybe 10% of the 9% share now going to county government or 9/10 of 1%, but in no way 10% of one’s whole tax bill.

If Jack Franks’ campaign were for a consumer product, it would be considered consumer fraud.

It’s a bait and switch scheme.


Comments

Jack Franks’ Big Bait & Switch — 23 Comments

  1. Is DISINFORMATION for the peasant
    Masses so they drool before paying
    Their taxes coming up.

    But the peasants won’t be getting any
    Cake or steak with Jacko Franco’s plan, folks.

    There is NO PLAN just EMPTY WORDS from an elitist career politician who can’t
    DO MATH other than simple addition adding up his campaign contributions.

  2. Jack rocks!

    And since he’s the subject of every other post here I’m thinking McHenry County Blog is a secret supported too!

  3. They don’t call him Lying Jack Franks all over the County for nothing.

  4. Just wondering after seeing the pictures of Jack, whether one needs a double chin like Jacks to lie out of both sides of your mouth?

    Either way it’s apparently working for him as the electorate seems to be asleep at the switch as usual.

  5. Franks could ALMOST cut property taxes by 10% if he just dissolves the County and transfers its bloated, duplicative duties to the local villages, cities, and townships where they belong…

  6. Only a 100 people LOL I guess they thought it was going to be a bigger turnout! Time for all of these Mayor’s that are supporting Jack to be gone! Did you get to ask any questions Cal?

  7. Oh and did A.S. say they would stop the unnecessary SALES Tax increases to its citizens?

    or is this the bait and switch game?

  8. Sooner or later A few Mayors will need back up from the rank and file of the republican party….at that point I might even enjoy being a precinct Committeeman………

    If Jack has this much “Sway” over these Mayors now…(see mayors for franks list)…

    I shutter to think the sway he would have if elected County Board Chairman…..

    Can anyone say”Cook County”?

  9. Jack Franks believes he can phone this election in.

    He is building his election fund so he may show the proper financial homage to the Democrat Party.

    He’s retrenching with this election. When he wins his belief his electorate will vote for him no matter what he does will have been edified.

    Walkup has zero campaign presence.

    The GOP clearly has no interest in ending Jacks ambitions.

    Last night was an opportunity lost.

    There are more but to allow any public appearance to go unchallenged is a mistake.

  10. I Wonder if any of the S. Att. were in attendance ?

    that would have rounded out the show!

  11. Curious, did candidate Franks address how he was going to cut property taxes 10% if he will not have a vote on any board anywhere?

    Did he at least address how he was going to compel Crystal Lake to reduce their levy?

    The Townships?

    School districts?

    Park Districts?

    Is any content beyond the all to familiar rhetoric.

    Not that cutting the taxes is an unworthy cause but one cannot help but think that if Mr. Franks were serious he would be running for School Board where he would have a vote that would actually impact.

  12. Jack also said he plans to put term limits into place for the county chair–2 terms only.

    Should we believe him?

  13. He was for term limits when he first ran, then changed his mind, now has done so again.

    Franks has no power to impose term limits on anyone as County Board Chairman.

  14. Cut 10 and cut mchenry taxes is a bunch of hot air.

    It is smoke.

    Not even a mirror.

    There is nothing to reflect.

    There is nothing.

    There is nothing presented to the voters to back up the plan.

    No taxing districts have committed to the plan.

    No other counties and no other person has said they could implement such a plan.

    No one that supports Jack has explained how the 10 percent reduction in property taxes could be accomplished.

    If a all taxing districts did cut taxes 10 percent, it would not be sustainable at current service and tax levels.

    Jack is refusing to show the plan until after the election, expecting voters to blindly trust him.

    Show us the plan before we vote on the plan.

  15. When Jack starts backing Paul and Andrew’s referendums and makes them binding, then I’ll believe he isn’t as self serving as I think he really is.

  16. The Nob,

    Tonight Rep. Franks basically said Mr. Serwatka got the idea for the referendum from Franks.

  17. Plenty of people have had various proposals to increase taxes only through referendum.

    A version of that was in Governor Bruce Rauner administration’s Turnaround Agenda.

    “Freeze property taxes by amending Illinois’ Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

    “The total property tax extension could not increase above the 2015 levy year, except for new construction or property in a TIF district.

    “Voters would still be allowed to override the freeze via referendum.”

  18. KL – I’m guessing Jack said something along the lines of “Serwatka’s Referendum in Lakewood “mirrored” the legislation he passed in the house”.

    I don’t believe he inferred that Serwatka took his idea…

  19. KL or Fed Farmer, what legislation is Jack talking about?

    I’ve been been calling for the right for voters to vote on levy and tax changes for a few years now in my rant.

    This rant was composed in late 2013:

    We need some government, how much will be debated till the end of the earth.

    As tax payers we must take away some of the power/decision making away from our elected officials, spending, setting tax rates, and borrowing.

    These three issues were problems that were never addressed properly when the country was formed and Constitution was written.

    They should have been, but the partisan nonsense started already way back then with over spending and borrowing to buy votes.

    Spending must always match actual revenue available at the time, ie what we are willing to give in the form of taxation.

    Borrowing should only be allowed with voter approval.

    Individual Income tax rates and Property tax rates should not be roller coasters of ever changing rates, which just leads to insecurity for the tax payer not knowing what is coming next from the elected to buy votes.

    That is called: As the wind blows nonsense.

    I would propose we force our elected by Petition, which is allowed in the constitution, to enact a Balanced Budget Amendment that has the income tax rate and/or property tax rate control tied to it.

    The Congress, State, and Local government agencies will only be allowed to adjust the income or property tax rates after a 2/3 approval vote within its legal boundary.

    Our choice, the citizens of the country, state, county, and local government, with a strong majority vote behind changes, not the Pacs controlling the over the top partisan as the wind blows hacks.

    Government agencies that use Property taxes should have no levy power or equalizer or ability to raise taxes because of inflation, whatever the home value, up or down, the rate we voted on determines what is paid in taxes.

    Not enough as most elected seem to keep saying, then come to us with your yearly or two year budget recommendations and let us vote 2/3 for any change from the year before.

    No more passing on our debt to future generations should be allowed.

    We borrow almost 40% for the Fed Gov now that must stop ASAP.

    We can budget a pay back of our various government debts, it’s time we correct our mistakes as lazy sleeping citizens and move on as a country with fiscally responsible government.

    I listening for other suggestions, got one?

  20. I ask again, what does a commission $pay?

    I want to be appointed & anointed by the Franks.

  21. I think the only one that pays is the Zoning Board of Appeals.

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