Civic Federation Calculates Some Tax Burdens

The Civic Federation has issued a report entitled, “ESTIMATED EFFECTIVE PROPERTY TAX RATES 2007-2016: Selected Municipalities in Northeastern Illinois.” For McHenry County, it has calculated effective tax rates for four communities: Woodstock – 3.6% Harvard – 3.47% Algonquin – 3.09% … Continue reading

Skillicorn Goes After Municipal League Conference Costs

A press release from State Rep. Allen Skillicorn: SKILLICORN CALLS ON ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE TO END ANNUAL CONFERENCE CRYSTAL LAKE, IL—It is time for the Illinois Municipal League to end its taxpayer funded annual conference. The Daily Herald reported that … Continue reading

You Can Comment on Speed Limit for Widened Route 62 in Barrington Hills

There is a hearing Thursday from 4-7  at the Barrington Park District, 235 Lions Drive, to consider the widening of Route 62 from Route 25 to Route 68, that is, through Barrington Hills. A Barrington Hills group has sent out … Continue reading

McHenry County Taxpayers Owe Over $130 Million for Underfunded Police and Fire Pensions…as of Two Years Ago

Commenter Mark has laid out all of the municipal police and fire pension fund money owed by McHenry County taxpayers. Let’s review police and fire pension funding status in McHenry County. Remember, Jack Franks says he has a plan to … Continue reading

Traffic Ticket Discrimination Against Out-of-Towners Everywhere, But Crystal Lake and

The Chicago Tribune released results of a study of traffic ticket data that shows whether police departments discriminate in favor of their own residents. In the towns studied in McHenry County Crystal Lake and Harvard stood out as being even-handed. … Continue reading

Tax Takes for Cities and Villages

Below is what cities and villages in McHenry County did to property taxpayers last year and what can be expected this year: City or village INCR / DECR INCR / DECR 2015 – 2014 2014 – 2013 IN TOTAL TAX … Continue reading

Endangered Mussel Announced in Longmeadow Parkway Meeting

Citizens are meeting at the Algonquin Village Hall tonight. The topic is the Longmeadow Parkway, proposed to have a toll bridge across the Fox River. Most attending oppose the project. The discovery of an endangered species could delay construction of … Continue reading

Effective Tax Rates in McHenry County

The only way to compare property tax burdens is to divide one’s property tax bill by the value of one’s home. That’s what the Chicago Tribune did in November of 2015. The effective tax rates found for McHenry County towns … Continue reading

Barrington Hills Tax Levy Decreased Under McLaughlin

A Barrington Hills resident took offense at former Village President Robert Abboud’s commentary on property taxes under his successor, Martin McLaughlin. McLaughlin is running for the Republican nomination for retiring State Senator Dan Duffy’s seat. Here are the results of … Continue reading

The Route 62 Four-Lane Question

For as long as I can remember, Barrington Hills has opposed turning Route 62 into four lanes. When Jim Kempe was Village President and I served as State Representative and was Republican Spokesman on the Appropriations Committee that handled the … Continue reading

Woodstock Woman Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy Fraud

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: Woodstock Woman Pleads Guilty To False Statements In Bankruptcy ROCKFORD — SOULA APOSTOLOPOULOS, 46, of Woodstock, Ill., formerly of Barrington Hills, Ill., pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard … Continue reading

Comparing City & Village Tax Takes

Yesterday, we took a look at what school districts requested to be collected last year and this year. Today we’ll look at municipalities. A number of McHenry County municipalities overlap into adjacent counties. If you see “McH only,” that is … Continue reading