McHenry Township Senior Bus Program Ending November 30th

Mike Rakestraw

Three of the four Republicans who were elected to the McHenry Township Board promising to cut taxes delivered more of that promise Tuesday night when they voted to end the township’s subsidized senior bus program on November 30th.

Trustees Bob Anderson, Mike Rakestraw and Steven Robert Verr made up the three-vote majority, while Supervisor Craig Adams and Trustee Stan
Wojewski voted against the motion to terminate the program.

Rakestraw, the only handicapped person on the Board pointed out that when a senior wanted to go to Walgrens, it cost taxpayers $16 to go and another $16 to return.

He pointed out that he found friends to take him where he needed to go and that those in the audience, all of whom favored continuation of the program, should similarly provide rides to those who needed transportation.

“The taxpayers in this county have had it up to the top of their heads,” he stated.

Verr quoted USA Today from October, 2018, as reporting that McHenry County was the highest taxed Illinois county.

He added that McHenry County was the 17th highest taxed county in the nation.

Steve Verr

The senior bus program costs upwards of $190,000 in township property tax dollars.

“Something has to give.”

He summarized the argument for eliminating the senior bus program by pointing out that the county-sponsored McRide service covered the whole township, was cheaper ($1.50 v. $2) and operated more days and hours.

“You say, ‘Let the voters decide.

“They did decide in the last election.”

Steve Verr holding the Republicans’ Tax Revolt sign.

“When the township created this program, the county didn’t have a program.

“Now we do.

“Someone has to say, ‘Enough!'”

“A referendum was made at the last election.

“The tax fighters won.”

Verr explained that Supervisor Craig Adams had been asked to come with an alternative plan, “maybe Uber vouchers,” but had not done so.

There were numerous interruptions from the audience during this past of the meeting.

Supervisor Craig Adams tries to regain control of the meeting.

“You’ve allowed this meeting to get out of control,” Verr said to Adams.

“I have a roomful of people who disagree with you,” Adams replied.

“Why keep threatening [that people will be asked to leave] if you’re not going to do anything?” Verr replied.

A motion had been previously made by Anderson to eliminate the bus program on July 26, 2019.

Township Attorney Jim Militello told Board members that the contract McHenry County had with the township, which he had just received from Adams that day, would expire November November 30, 2019, the end of the county’s fiscal year.

Craig Adams and Jim Militello

Verr pointed out that Adams had not provided these documents to the Board, although they were requested.

He recommended that Anderson’s motion be modified to match that date.

Mike Rakestraw and Bob Anderson

Anderson agreed and the modified motion passed 3-2.


Comments

McHenry Township Senior Bus Program Ending November 30th — 41 Comments

  1. The MC Ride Program is a racket.

    Plain and Simple!

    Serwatka demonstrated this and got rid of it in Lakewood and Cal covered it here.

    Verr, Anderson, and Rakestraw are to be commended for their effort!

    Great Work Guys!

  2. I would like to see the number of miles traveled in McHenry County by Township / County / Regional buses with zero passengers.

    Anyone requiring subsidized public transit in McHenry County should be directed to Uber / Lyft with vouchers.

    Insofar as Public Transit in general be aware of this: https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-having-devastating-effect-on-public-transportation-study-2019-1

    Watch what Illinois will do relative to reduced public transit use:

    Fat boy and Madigan will funnel the new gas tax increases to Metra and the RTA to fund reduced fares.

  3. Fortunately, there are organizations like the Senior Care Volunteer Network that will transport older Americans to their medical visits, shopping or social activities.

    We need organizations like SCVN when entities like McHenry Township are too cheap to help.

    Shame of those three Republicans (shame on most Republicans).

  4. Team Anderson use to patriot let the voters decide by referendum, now they’re telling you what you want?

    dis·in·gen·u·ous

    not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
    synonyms:

    dishonest · deceitful · underhand · underhanded · duplicitous · double-dealing · two-faced · dissembling · insincere · false · lying · untruthful · mendacious · not candid · [more]

  5. Very sad that a gang of 3 old grumpy dudes are kicking other young, old and handicapped
    township residents right in the groin on this one.

    Absolutely shameful behavior.

  6. Good! Now eliminate the rest of the crap no one asked for yet we are paying through the nose to support.

  7. Yes Cindy, good news !

    Time for those that want welfare status to get off the “Pity Pot”, Services are available, no need for duplicate services, at Taxpayer’s Expense.

    When you tighten your Budget Belt at home, something has to give, so be it with Government Too.

  8. Kudos to the affirmative voting board members for doing what they promised. Keep it up!

  9. Sue Low and a former member of the McHenry City Council spoke passionately in favor of retaining the bus service.

    Several physically disabled people made impassioned pleas to retain the service.

    Many of the speakers were extremely moving in what they shared with the Board and those in attendance

    It went on for almost 2 hours and then the board quibbled like children, incredibly, and then voted in favor of dissolving the bus service.

    As an outside observer, I found it a stunning rejection of the voter’s wishes.

  10. Do not tell anyone but one of the requirements of Townships is to provide medical / disabled transportation subject to a means text.

    To fulfill that requirement, Uber / Lyft can be utitilized quite efficiently rather than having very expensive buses.

  11. Maybe the right move would have been to inform the people what other alternatives, if any, are out there besides the township bus to get around.

    This was handled very poorly even thou the goal is to reduce taxes.

    People need to be informed what the savings are vs. the cost of a service.

  12. I thought that was included in the article.

    What did I miss?

  13. Finally 3 people who delivered what they promised!

    Verr

    Anderson

    Rakestraw

    Supervisor Adams is a liar!

    His Township bus racket costs more than $75 a round trip.

    That’s crazy!

  14. Those three just saved 5 pensions down the line! GREAT JOB!

    Townships are useless in this day and age.

    A constant source of waste, nepotism, graft and creating more dependency on government.

    Adams should be ashamed!

    He is a typical government lout.

  15. Out of Towner, providing this service is not a requirement of township government.

  16. Out of towner:

    Can Uber/Lyft guarantee a vehicle with wheelchair accessibility?

    This is where McRide and Dial-a-Ride contracts with governments prohibit the free market to enter into services such as this.

    Grants are available to help service seniors and the disabled, but if government also provides some sort of partial, inadequate service (McRide), how can private enterprises find a niche?

    McHenry and Wonder Lake (and other) government officials need to have a serious discussion how they can help facilitate the future sustainability of transportation services for seniors and the disabled.

  17. It is disgusting the way people think this ok.

    You are taking a very much needed service away from the very people who have lived in the township their whole life.

    Great your gonna save a total of $8 a year but you just cost someone a doctor trips, trips to the food pantry, trips to get treatments, and the only way these individuals can leave there home.

    Yes pace is another service but pace will not help carry bags to doors, help those with wheelchairs up the driveway and to the door, they do not have time to take care of the seniors the way the township dose.

    I pray that none of you people who are for this every need a ride to the doctor and call pace.

    You will be late to get there, late to leave, and spend hours on the bus even if you are a block away from home

    You all should think about this who’s gonna take care of you when you get older.

    Well…. you better find your sixteen friends.

  18. Taxpayers: 3
    Township Taxers: 2

    A big win for a change for the oppressed tax Slaves.

    Good work.

  19. Melissa, you are wrong again.

    The Senior Express was a sinkhole of waste and patronage.

    Try $500k Melissa-snowbird.

    I’m sick of paying through my eyes, ears and butt for STUPID government dependency programs.

    Why don’t you volunteer to carry the bags instead of whining about it?

    Make a tax deductible contribution to the Senior Express program if you’re so damn ’disgusted’. lift a finger yourself instead of for a change.

    Btw, Melissa, I’m disgusted about paying benefits for illegal aliens.

    Townships cater to them.

  20. Standard, it’s time you had a reality check.

    I can schedule an intervention with you with 26,000 fed up McHenry Taxpayers.

  21. This is kind of a no-brainer, is it not?

    Why would any government agency provide transportation for the citizenry?

    There are numerous private sector firms already providing the service, Uber, Left, taxis etc.

    And yes, you can find livery service for the handicapped, even in McHenry county.

  22. I applaud the tax fighters.

    I’m stuck here and am being bled to death by all the unnecessary programs.

    This senior-disabled baloney got exposed for what it was: a costly boondoggle and vote buying scheme.

    Unfortunately the Algonquin Township board lacked spines to accomplish the same thing.

    The pet projects sound great……. until you learn about the bureaucracy and waste.

    Those busses are empty most of the time and tens of thousands pay for chauffeurs for 100 people only a few of whom are even deserving.

  23. Sue Low was a taxaholic mayoress who wrecked McHenry and paved the way for our socialist, Bernie supporting Mayor.

    Andy Glab exposed both of them as frauds.

    Now Low is used here as an example of good government?

    Puleeeeze!

  24. Hoorah. Somebody looking out for the taxpayers.

    Cut more waste, please.

    I see township buses at liquor stores and MacDonalds, when anybody’s even in them.

    Sad to see seniors used as pawns by the same people who want to shower illegals with more benefits at our expense.

  25. How did townships decide to even start these bus lines?

    That’s the real question.

    They over-reached.

    And the taxpayers be damned!

    I’m glad responsible people are in McHenry Township cutting waste.

    I only wish it was done in Nunda

  26. Bob Anderson has been fighting for the taxpayers for years, he can’t be bought or intimidated by crybabies who can merely call on McRide for their free rides.

    Anderson is a Marine.

    Adams has a record of failure.

    Just ask my daughter-in-law and son who suffered because of his Pioneer Center ineptness. (I’m not criticizing Pioneer Center or its enrollees, I AM criticizing what Adams did while a fatcat administrator there for many years making over $200,000, and the outcry over a BIG mistake leading to his leaving there)

    More cuts Bob, you can do it!

    Don’t let the taxhogs eat us out of house and home.

  27. Do any of you dimwits look at your property tax bill?

    The problem is not with Townships.

    So, taking away a service that is needed and used by friends and neighbors that need the help getting around is a good thing?

    A pox on the 3 stooges.

  28. Paul Revere, you are the dimwit and stooge.

    The ‘service’ already exists at the County level.

    I should know, I’m paying for it.

    Why do you care anyway, you’re on relief and pay no taxes.

    Somebody is finally doing what they were elected to do.

  29. This is a real tragedy.

    I don’t care if costs me an extra $1000 a year in taxes.

    It must be allowed to continue.

    This is the only way some people can get out and be part of the world.

    People who have no one to drive them to dialysis!

    They will die if this program is cut.

    And it will all be on the necks of these ‘let them eat cake’ trustees who are so selfish, it’s unbelievable.

    Don’t these ‘trustees’ understand the disabled and old people trusted them to take care of them.

  30. Why don’t you just volunteer, “I’m a Taxpayer Too!”

    How about a special $25,000 tax hike just for you?

    You’re pretty good at spending other people’s $$$$.

    Are you really a taxpayer?

    I don’t believe it.

    You’re probably one of the people whose easy job is on the line.

  31. The busses are expensive and few people use them.

    Senior volunteer Care Network can take people to dr’s appts and the like and be a personal connection rather than getting on a bus.

    There are other options as well, Uber and Lyft vouchers.

    There are also family members stepping up and spending time with their elders and lending a hand.

    Neighbors, church members etc etc.

    But if you don’t have any of those, the SVCN and vouchers will do just fine.

    Absolutely no one will die because they now will use an alternative to this taxpayer bus service!

    No one likes change but they may end up liking it better than the busses.

  32. I’m a taxpayer too, get real and cut the drama!

    You are NOT willing to pay an extra $1,000 in taxes and people are NOT going to die because this program is cut!

    Those are hysterical statements that have no basis.

    The program is duplicative of other county programs and unneeded.

    If it was affordable to pick everyone up at their door, take them where they wanted to go and return them home for $2.00 a trip, it would be happening County-wide.

    Give credit where credit is due to the three board members keeping their word and making the tough decisions in the face of the township dregs at the meeting putting them down.

    Ask the other taxpayers in McHenry township who weren’t at the meeting looking for a free ride and you’ll hear a very different story.

  33. Obviously a tough issue with allot of guessing on what people want or don’t.

    This and other issues like BOcare should be put to vote, not decided by as the wind blows elected.

    A vote with a 2/3 to change like a amendment.

  34. Good job in cutting an overlapping and costly government program.

    I wish it could be done in Algonquin Township, the home of so much waste, incompetence and nepotism.

  35. I see in the NWH Mike Rakestraw’s house has been sold at a delinquent property tax sale due to non payment of property taxes.

    Comical.

    He should not be allowed to vote for anything.

  36. Thanks for sticking up for the taxpayers. McHenry trustees show the way.

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