IL 66th District: Schofield Responds to Skillicorn’s Criticisms of 9/11 and 8/22

Carolyn Schofield

McHenry County Board Member Carolyn Schofield (R, Crystal Lake), candidate for state representative in the 66th district, issued a statement in response to opponent Allen Skillicorn’s (left) statements from August 22 and most recently on September 11:

Recent comments from my opponent attributed to hearsay, and taken out of context as part of larger conversations he was not involved in, have unfortunately been recently published.

He has suggested that “I have never met a tax increase I didn’t like,” or words to that effect.

My public record would suggest otherwise, and I would like to set the record straight.

During my time on the McHenry County Board I have staunchly supported tax relief on numerous occasions.

While serving on the Crystal Lake City Council, the municipal levy increased by 0.41% (less than ½ of 1%) between 2009-2012, impacting the average homeowner by less than $30.00 over the four-year period, while maintaining first class municipal services.

The City of Crystal Lake maintained a AA+ bond rating based on its conservative financial practices.

Our pension funds were properly funded, and we were able to invest in the development of significant municipal and recreational infrastructure improvements.

Additionally, my record as a fiscal conservative speaks for itself with public votes I’ve taken as a member of the McHenry County Board.

During my tenure, I have voted to either reduce or hold the levy flat every year I have served.

 I have never supported a tax increase. T

hese votes along with abatement and rebate programs that I have supported, widely covered by the Northwest Herald, have put an estimated $20 million back into taxpayers’ pockets.

And in the event you were not aware, I believe McHenry County is one of only 3 Illinois counties that enjoys a AAA bond rating.

From 2016-2018, I worked on a regional advisory group which studied how shared services in government can generate savings that benefit taxpayers.   

As a result, I requested and helped facilitate the county’s application to secure a Local Technical Assistant grant through the Chicago Metropolitan Alliance for Planning (CMAP).  

We are in the process of coordinating all local government entities within McHenry County to maximize efficiencies and savings, unlike my opponent’s blind support for the recent township consolidation bill passed this spring in Springfield with virtually no cost benefit analysis being done, and resolutely opposed by the members of the McHenry County Board.  

It is our hope that this program will be utilized as a model throughout the state to provide all units of government in Illinois access to efficiencies of operation while reducing the burden which taxpayers currently must endure.

My public record stands on its merit.

My opponent doesn’t have one.

I have a proven record of reducing taxes and putting money back into taxpayers’ pockets.

Since my opponent can’t stand on his own record, it appears he is trying to create a false narrative surrounding mine based on misinformation and hearsay.

Voters are tired of the rhetoric that ineffective politicians must generate in order to maintain support.

Movie posters, supporting third party political candidates, and back door dealings with Democrats do nothing to bring hard earned tax dollars back to the 66th District.

Thank you for the opportunity to set the record straight.

From McHenry County Blog: The movie poster referred to in the Schofield statement is the one made in July based on the 2016 remake of The Magnificent Seven, where Skillicorn is not front, but center with six other state representatives calling themselves “reform”:

Movie Parody from July of 2019

Comments

IL 66th District: Schofield Responds to Skillicorn’s Criticisms of 9/11 and 8/22 — 16 Comments

  1. Some can say the same of the incumbent, given whom he openly supported in last year’s general election for governor was “supporting third party political candidates”.

  2. Re: ” Voters are tired of the rhetoric that ineffective politicians must generate”

    You mean like reading from Dr. Seuss at a County Board meeting?

    You mean like your speech to announce that the Township Consolidation Task Force was a waste of taxpayer time and dollars? (dollars spent with County Staff time to collect your useless data)

    Bottom line is you have aligned yourself with DeWitte and he is a proven tax increase supporter at the state level.

  3. Nasty is putting it rather mildly!

    She voted for Hillary.

    Or should that be HilLIARy?

  4. Anyone else find it curious how in good conscience the following statement could be made?

    ” rebate programs that I have supported, widely covered by the Northwest Herald, have put an estimated $20 million back into taxpayers’ pockets”

    The so-called rebate is a result of her continually voting to include the unnecessary taxes for Valley Hi.

    Now she wants credit for giving money back that she voted to extract from the taxpayers?

    BTW why is that refund only for those who claim a homestead exemption? Smells like a communist / socialist game to me.

  5. Any way you say it. Any way you shake it.

    She’s no REPUBLICAN!

    RINO – RINO – RINO.

    The smell of betrayal is overwhelming!!

  6. Re: “We are in the process of coordinating all local government entities within McHenry County to maximize efficiencies and savings,”

    Probable Translation: “I am working with Jack Franks to eliminate the offices of Auditor, Regional School Superintendent and Coroner to ensure he can reign supreme.

    After all, I specialize in working for the ‘the other side’.”

  7. The Magnificent 7 actually killed dozens of thieves, culprits , etc., who’d been terrorizing a locality for a long time.

    I wouldn’t cry if these guys actually did the same and lived up to the legend.

    Schofield is one of the worst of the worst.

    She’s one of the most selfish and dishonest politicos locally there ever was, rivaling even John Jung and Robert Miller.

  8. Out of Towner (9:43PM), because the 66th is also in Kane County, would you believe if she coordinated with Franks’ counterpart in Kane County, Board Chairman Chris Lauzen, that would also be to help Lauzen reign supreme?

    You cannot eliminate any of those elected offices without a referendum.

    You know, I asked in another thread about this race, about proof for this “Hillary” rumor that keeps popping up in comments concerning Ms. Schofield.

    Where is the proof?

    As stated previously, in IL-14, Jim Oberweis has been tagged a Hillary supporter, too, because one of his sisters openly backed Hillary, including giving money to her in 2016.

    Is that what we have here with Ms. Schofield and alleged Hillary support, too?

    Unless you can prove this alleged Hillary support, if Mr. Skillicorn and/or his supporters must rely on lies to keep him in office…let’s just say March 17 will not be kind to him, or you.

  9. Kokomo Lucerne, I’m sure your “I wouldn’t cry if these guys actually did the same…” was solely for vivid metaphor and nothing more, given in both movie versions (1960, 2016), nearly all of the killing was done with guns.

    And given Ms. Schofield has won election in Crystal Lake to the city council, and multiple elections to the county board, her constituents who voted for her have a different opinion.

  10. Look at the haters hate! A reasonable female candidate emerges and the haters go on a hate rampage.

    HATE, HATE, HATE! Change the name of this blog to: McHenry County Hate Blog!

  11. Alot of Republicans voted for Hillary.

    That’s how she got 5 million more votes than Tronald Dump.

  12. So what that the liar and thug Hillary got 5 million more votes than Trump. If not for the corrupt Comey and Obama’s biased AG, Hillary would now be in jail for her crimes.

    This is the UNITED STATES of America wherein States, through the electoral college, determine a president every 4 years.

    People who want to do away with the Electoral College would no doubt want football games to be determined by the amount of yards gained or by first downs rather than the amount of points scored.

  13. If there was any doubt in anyone’s mind as to where Schofield stands politically, the proof is right here in these comments.

    UnderwoodNow taking it to the matress to defend their preferred candidate.

    LOL, the difference in the popular vote is up to 5 million now?

    Because “Alot of Republicans voted for Hillary”?

    Apparently, you can just make this stuff up.

  14. “Our pension funds were properly funded, and we were able to invest in the development of significant municipal and recreational infrastructure improvements.”

    – Carolyn Schofield, presumably referring to the City of Crystal Lake’s IMRF, Downstate Police, and Downstate Fire pension funds during her tenure as a City Council trustee (board member) from May 2009 – December 2012, which was during Fiscal Years (FY) ending April 30, 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013.

    +++++++++++

    “Properly funded”?

    Look at FY 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013 in the following four documents in the City of Crystal Lake FY 2014 CAFR, keeping in mind her tenure was May 2009 – December 2012:

    – Schedule of Employer Contributions for Police, Fire, & IMRF (pdf p120)

    – Schedule of Funding Progress, IMRF (pdf p116)

    – Schedule of Funding Progress, Police (pdf p117)

    – Schedule of Funding Progress, Fire (pdf p118)

    http://www.crystallake.org/home/showdocument?id=9312

    crystallake.org/your-government/transparency-portal

    +++++++++++

    The percent contributed annually ranged from 72.61% – 102.12%.

    The funded ratio ranged from 47.00% – 72.01%.

    There are many nuances to those figures and public sector pensions in Illinois in general.

    +++++++++

    Less than 100% contributed means the employer contributed less than the actuarial calculated amount for that one year period (aka the employer annual contribution to the pension fund).

    Less than 100% funded means taxpayers owe money to the pension fund right now (aka it’s a ponzi scheme meaning the fund is not self-sustaining without a further infusion of money from the employer).

    +++++++++

    While annual employer contributions to the pension funds were shorted, salaries were hiked, a common practice in Illinois which worsens underfunded pensions.

    +++++++++

    Crystal Lake pensions remain underfunded.

    As of the FY 2018 Crystal Lake CAFR, the net pension liability (aka unfunded liability aka taxpayer IOU to the pension fund aka the amount of money that should be in the fund but is not aka missing money) was:

    IMRF – $3,778,684

    Police – $29,874,336

    Fire – $16,121,589

    Total – $49,774,609

    +++++++++++++++

    Crystal Lake taxpayers owe $49 million dollars to the three pension funds right now.

    That $49 million dollars should be in the pension funds now.

    But it is not.

    Since the $49 million is missing, Crystal Lake taxpayers are financing the $49 million dollars.

    Think of it as pension interest, with the interest expressed as a discount rate.

    What is the discount rate (interest rate)?

    IMRF – 7.5%

    Police – 7.25%

    Fire – 7.25%

    ++++++++++

    So when someone says it’s not all due right now, that’s true.

    Neither is mortgage.

    Neither is an auto loan.

    Neither is credit card debt.

    Neither is bond debt.

    What do pension unfunded liabilities, mortgages, auto loans, credit card debt, and bond debt all have in common?

    Interest.

    Interest increases the cost of the product.

    Interest makes pensions more expensive to taxpayers.

    ++++++++++

    So built into that “properly funded” comment above is a lot of pension interest, because in fact the pensions were less than 100% funded.

    To make matters worse, the annual employer contributions were in most cases less than the actuarial requirement, while the pensions were already underfunded, a double whammy.

    And that was called “properly funded.”

  15. It appears that McHenry County Board Member Carolyn Schofield holds herself personally responsible for Crystal Lake’s & McHenry County’s excellent bond ratings, but not responsible for Crystal Lake’s grossly improperly underfunded pension systems.

    Doing “parodies” on one’s political opponent is unethical, immoral and sick.

    However; Carolyn Schofield is good to go with this practice.

    Carolyn Schofield appears totally oblivious to the inefficiencies, and taxpayer dollar waste of township government in Illinois, as well as the recent legislation passed.

    Lacking this knowledge, her beaurocratic approach is typical of form a committee, hire a connected consultant and spend taxpayer dollars to support one’s preconceived conclusion.

    Illinois needs to rid itself of this practice, not get more of it.

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