McHenry County Cat Tax Resurfaces, This Time Jack Franks Must Take “Credit” If He Allows a Floor Vote

I thought the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax was dead.

In 2012, Keely keept watch throughout the year for the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collectors from the Heath Department.

(I tagged as the Republican Cat Tax” because all the members of the County Board were Republican and Chairman Ken Koehler was it primary proponent, along with member Tina Hill, who carried the ordinance on the Board floor.)

But Maryellen Howell of the Veterinary Division of McHenry County Department of Health testified in a Senate Agriculture & Conservation Committee meeting on May 7th in favor of authorizing a statewide.

It’s in a bill sponsored by Republican Jill Tracy of Quincy and Democrat Linda Holmes of Aurora.

The bill looks pretty harmless, requiring rabies shots for feral cats (the ones that run wild) and domestic cats, even those who never go outside where they could be exposed to a critter with rabies.

The short description of the bill that most legislators view before voting, if they view anything at all, follows:

Provides that every owner of a cat that is a companion animal and is 4 months or more of age shall have each cat inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Provides that every cat that is a companion animal shall have a second rabies vaccination within one year of the first.

Provides that the provision does not apply to feral cats; however, if a feral cat is presented to a licensed veterinarian for sterilization, the feral cat shall be inoculated against rabies, unless the person presenting the feral cat for care provides an inoculation certificate showing that the feral cat has been inoculated against rabies, and the cost of the inoculation shall be paid by the person presenting the feral cat to a licensed veterinarian for care. Provides that a veterinarian who inoculates a feral cat shall issue an inoculation certificate to the person who presented the feral cat for veterinary care.

Makes other technical changes. A

A new fee, which the McHenry County Health Department proposes to impose, is among the “techical changes.”

This must be passed by the McHenry County Board to become effective and McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks uses his power not to put items on committee and Board agendas if he doesn’t like their content.

So, If the County Board gets a chance to vote on this proposed Cat Tax, Jack Franks has to take the blame.

Under the proposed Per\mits, Fees, Licenses, Registration section of the Health Department Rules, one can find the following:

County Cat or Dog Registation

Every owner (except for Animal Control Facilities licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture) of a dog or cat four months or more of age shall register such dog or cat and shall pay an annual registration fee for said dog or cat to the McHenry County Department of Health. Upon payment of the required fee, as set forth in the Public Health Fee Ordinance, and compliance with §8.04.890 of this Ordinance, a registration tag shall be issued. All registration tag sales are final and no refunds will be issued.

With the ommission of the new fee on cat owners, perhaps one can understand why only one state legislator voted against the bill.

Allen Skillicorn was that legislator.

Only Allen Skillicorn voted, “No” on the Cat Tax bill, SB 131
Senate Roll Caall on Senate Bill 131, the Cat Tax bill.

What will the cost be, if the County Board approves the ordinance changes?

  • $7 a year for sterilized cats
  • $60 for a three-year license sexually active cats
  • $17 for a three year registration of sterilized cats
  • $10 for a late fee

People over 65 get a $5 discount if they register a dog.

No such discount for old cat owners though.

One would assume that the extra money will pay for the personnel, material and record keeping costs with some left over.

= = = = =

Keely Cat, RIP, took a dim view of those County Board members who wanted to send out the McHenry County Republican Tax Collector. He still can’t understand why they thought he couldn’t take care of an rabid bat that might penetrate the Skinner household. The biggest thing he has hunted is a bug.

See 1-25-10 article with County Board Roll Call before the primary election:

Remembering the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Now that County Board Members Are Up for Election


Comments

McHenry County Cat Tax Resurfaces, This Time Jack Franks Must Take “Credit” If He Allows a Floor Vote — 17 Comments

  1. Starter list of resource-intense things Americans don’t need.

    !. Fashion
    2. TV, Internet, Media in general.
    3. Pets
    4. 24 County Board Members

  2. Do you really think people will go out of their way to tell you about their cats?

    Doubt it!

  3. My worry is that with a smaller board it will be easier to pass stupid laws.

  4. Democrat Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 131 (SB 131) into law as Public Act 101-0299 (PA 101-0299) on August 9, 2019.

    At the House and Senate committee meetings for the bill, witness slips were filed by 177 proponents, 9 opponents, and 1 with no position.

    Proponents were largely animal hospitals, animal clinics, animal associations, and various government agencies such as animal services, animal control, and veterinary divisions.

    The bill adds cats to the list of pets which require rabies inoculation, which currently consists of dogs and ferrets.

    “The owner shall pay any fee imposed by the county under Section 3 of this Act.”

    http://www.ilga.gov

  5. Skills is my man!

    What a crock!

    Has there ever been a person infected with rabies by a cat in North America, particularly a house-cat?

    I doubt many feral cats will obey the law.

  6. Look at the facts:

    177 members of the Illinois House and Senate voted for the tax including Senator Wilcox and Representatives McSweeney and Reick.

    Yet, Cal is attempting to blame this tax on Franks who does not even vote on it and does not sign it into law….

    The only way that Franks votes on it is if their is a tie and he would vote no since he is more fiscally conservative than the vast majority of the board.

    Franks is the driving force in the county’s property tax levy and the valley hi rebate.

    Yet, in Cals deranged mind, he is somehow responsible for a tax that he has nothing to do with….

    No wonder the GOP is dying in McHenry County.

    They are intellectually dishonest on top of being extremists who back deeply flawed candidates.

  7. Fair, read the headline again. Do you see the term “IF”.

  8. Fair Play is Franks. Crazy Catboy with a huge gut and big mouth.

  9. It is doubtful I will vote again for a Republican that voted for this asinine feline tax.

  10. The passing of our favorite second-amendment cat should be investigated by the DCFS (Department of Cat and Feline Services). After all, this is not the first time my sunshine blogger needs to deal with DCFS. Stay tuned…tic, tock, tic, tock, tic, tock, tic, tock, meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww…

  11. Maybe we should tax the politicians every time they do something stupid…

    Time wasted on that could’ve put towards a more worthy cause.

    We rescued several cats from a shelter, free cats aren’t free…

    We also shop locally for food, and supplies for these cats.

    The tax is minimal, but the premise of it, what about hamsters, guinea pigs, parakeets….whats next…

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