Objection Filed Against Allen Skillicorn’s Tax Limit Referendum Petitions

State Representative Allen Skillicorn-elect submitted petitions calling for a referendum stating the following:

Shall each taxing body located partially or wholly within the limits of the County of McHenry be required to seek voter approval by referendum prior to increasing its annual total property tax levy?

Mary McClellan

While at the McHenry Township Electoral Board hearings today, County Clerk Mary McClellan answered a question I posed to her soon after Skillicorn’s petitions were filed.

I asked her to tell me who filed an objection.

Today she told me it was Linda Fitzgerald.

The name sounded a bit familiar, but I couldn’t remember why.

McClellan found that hard to believe and when I asked who she was, McClellan told me Fitzgerald was her Chief Deputy.

“She was acting as a citizen,” McClellan told me.


Comments

Objection Filed Against Allen Skillicorn’s Tax Limit Referendum Petitions — 31 Comments

  1. The McHenry County Clerk’s Office’s Chief Deputy is objecting to this?

    But “as a private citizen,” not as someone feeding at the taxpayer trough?

    Doesn’t County Clerk McLellan’s office have enough scandal to wallow in, such as McLellan hiring her husband to work in her office?

    Or how about the sexual harassment complaints against him..? http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2016/06/17/sexual-harrassment-complaint-filed-against-county-clerks-husband/

  2. I believe it was insufficient signatures.

    8% of those who voted in the last election was the number required, I think.

  3. I believe it was skillicorn a legislator and lawmaker who feels he can make laws for you.

    He thinks he does not have to follow the law.

    The laws apply to everyone accept the lawmaker.

    Thanks to the person who brought this to our attention.

  4. The laws are made by legislators in Springfield.

    The law requires a circulator to obtain 8 percent of the signatures of the last governor race.

    That means it would have required more than 7000 signatures for the petition to be able to be put on the ballot.

    Skillicorn only obtained 92 signatures and the objection says that 26 of them are not good.

    The objection also says that the notary is deficient and he failed to follow the statutory requirements.

    This seems to me to be a complete disregard for our laws.

  5. Chief Deputy at County Clerk has ‘insider’ access to every petition filed at that office.

    It raises the ethical question:
    Does she, as a function of her office, have a duty to point out EVERY petition which is deficient of signatures?

    Or is she allowed to single out only those petitions with which she disagrees personally ?

  6. She is following the law is that such a bad thing?

    Why don’t you scrutinize the person who breaks the laws

  7. You are missing the point.

    She has access to each and every petition.

    Yet she has only objected to this one.

    Is it not the duty of an officer in her position to object to
    ALL (law-breaking) signature-deficient petitions?

  8. I would say yes it is the duty of the clerks office or any governmental agency to report this kind of illegal activity.

    Susan, I would say you are missing the point.

  9. Its a big deal when our legislators don’t follow the law.

    To my knowledge, Allen Skillicorn isn’t even sworn in yet.

    If he is willing to do this he will fit right in down in Springfield and you wonder why our state has such a bad reputation.

  10. And a Chief Deputy County Clerk should strive to uphold the law for ALL petitions which pass through her oversight, right?

    I would agree with that.

    ALL petitions should be scrutinized by this officer at time of submission, and if she suspects signature deficiency she should object to each and every suspect submission.

  11. How long before Mary declares she is running as a Democrat in 2018?

  12. Questioning..

    And How and what does this have to do with Party affiliation??

    Are you saying because Allen Skillicorn is a Republican and he is breaking the Law he should be left alone?

  13. Was an objection filed in Kane County as well or is it just the good ole boys in McHenry County who want to keep raising our taxes?

  14. Why wouldn’t Mary McC be the one objecting if there is a problem?

    Not part of her JOB?

  15. Here is a good guess, Observational knowledge tells us that the clerk and her office have a hard time with rules and procedures.

    So they probably ran to press with the ballot printing before all of the final deadlines passed and since Skillicorn’s referendum would cause her to admit her failing and reprint the ballots at a significant cost she had her deputy clerk challenge it.

    The comeback of course is that they may have gone to press with ballots that presumed an outcome to objections that have not yet been decided.

    Easy to confirm.

    Foia all purchase orders for ballot printing.

  16. How many signatures were required?

    How many were submitted?

    This seems like the first logical step in investigating.

  17. Maybe Skillkorn should take the “Rookie Legislator 101” course before being sworn in, not after.

    Thanks Linda!

  18. Mary McClellan stressed that the challenge was not an official act of her office.

  19. What are the Ethics requirements for officials to separate ‘act of office’ with citizens’ rights?

    Is the Deputy Chief required ethically or legally to question petition validity on an all, none, or selective (according-to-personal-political-beliefs) basis?

  20. A comment above just appeared above by “Pablo” staying that 7000 signatures were required and only 92 signatures were filed.

    Can anyone confirm this?

    If this is the case, the objection is understandable.

  21. The objection is understandable if the Deputy Chief exercises evenhanded treatment toward all petitions filed, not just those with which she personally Di sag r Essa.

    It would be beneficial to all citizens if County Clerk would clarify the ethical duties of her office to point out signature deficiency on any and all petitions filed.

  22. Why dont you call the county clerk she is always willing to take my call when I have questions.

  23. Upwards of 7000 signature required but less than 100 collected.

    If true, it should not have seen the light of day for being woefully short.

    One thing if the minimum was met and challenged, quite another to fail to get a smidge over 1%.

    Gripe about the Skillkorn failure and keep the eye on the ball.

    Think, people, THINK!!

  24. Aren’t you paying attention!?!

    The Russians hacked the election

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