McHenry County Blog

Freshman State Senator Dan Duffy, a businessman from Lake Barrington in Lake County, was touted for governor in Chicago Sun-Times columnist Steven Huntley’s column yesterday.

In an piece entitled,

Duffy’s name pops up in the middle of the column, right after the self-dismissals of

• Illinois Supreme Court Justice Bob Thomas,
• Bush HUD Secretary Steve Preston (who?),
• Chicago equity fund chairman Bruce Rauner,
• Congressmen Mark Kirk and
• Peter Roskam, and
• U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

Here’s what Huntley wrote:

“State Sen. Dan Duffy of Barrington, a Legislative newcomer, impresses many in the party. He acknowledges hearing suggestions he run, but no one in the party leadership has approached him.

“The party is now evaluating a lot of people and that’s a good thing,” he says. “If party leaders aid, ‘You’re that person,’ I’d have to have a serious conversation with my family and find out if this is the right time for me. Bit we’re not there yet.”

“A jump from newly minted legislator to governor in just two years would be quite a challenge.”

The column continues with former candidates for governor, State Senator Bill Brady, who ran third in the 2006 gubernatorial primary, Ron Gidwitz (4th) and Jim Oberweis, who ran second.

DuPage County Board Republicans, Chairman Bob Schillerstrom and State’s Attorney Joe Birkett, they of the tripling of the RTA sales tax.

Doug Whitley is also mentioned…more favorably than others actively seeking the office.

Traffic congestion will only get worse in McHenry County regardless of what local and state governments do.

There is no way that lane growth can keep up with population growth in a county where developers are primary sources of political cash for local officials—partisan and non-partisan, city and county.

Even so, the McHenry County Board seems to be moving toward the logical use of the quarter of one percent sales tax imposed by the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Rod Blagojevich in the RTA bailout deal.

The Daily Herald’s Chuck Keeshan reports the county board’s Transportation Committee recommends it all be spend on improving county roads.

The article quotes Transportation Committee Chairman Dan Shea to that effect.

I called Finance Committee Chairman Marc Munaretto seeking his committee’s take.

“Finance and Transportation are of one mind that the RTA sales tax money should be devoted to mitigating traffic congestion in McHenry County,” the Algonquin county board member told me.”

Instead of just passing what the Regional Transportation and Chicago Transit Authority folks said they needed, the RTA tax hike was doubled for the collar counties.

And, thanks to DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett and DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom and three GOP state senators from their county, the bill passed after an amendment was added to allow diversion of the county sales tax money to pay for law enforcement expenses.

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna delivered a verbal slap at Schillerstrom for his promotion of passage of the RTA sales tax at the Decatur state convention.

But, McHenry County’s board members are promoting using the money for the purpose originally intended to mute the opposition of suburban county Republicans—roads.

Good for them!

It will be interesting to see if McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi and/or McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nystom seek a piece of the pie.

The pie, by the way, costs McHenry County taxpayers about $9 million per year.

Traffic congestion will only get worse in McHenry County regardless of what local and state governments do.

There is no way that lane growth can keep up with population growth in a county where developers are primary sources of political cash for local officials—partisan and non-partisan, city and county.

Even so, the McHenry County Board seems to be moving toward the logical use of the quarter of one percent sales tax imposed by the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Rod Blagojevich in the RTA bailout deal.

The Daily Herald’s Chuck Keeshan reports the county board’s Transportation Committee recommends it all be spend on improving county roads.

The article quotes Transportation Committee Chairman Dan Shea to that effect.

I called Finance Committee Chairman Marc Munaretto seeking his committee’s take.

“Finance and Transportation are of one mind that the RTA sales tax money should be devoted to mitigating traffic congestion in McHenry County,” the Algonquin county board member told me.”

Instead of just passing what the Regional Transportation and Chicago Transit Authority folks said they needed, the RTA tax hike was doubled for the collar counties.

And, thanks to DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett and DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom and three GOP state senators from their county, the bill passed after an amendment was added to allow diversion of the county sales tax money to pay for law enforcement expenses.

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna delivered a verbal slap at Schillerstrom for his promotion of passage of the RTA sales tax at the Decatur state convention.

But, McHenry County’s board members are promoting using the money for the purpose originally intended to mute the opposition of suburban county Republicans—roads.

Good for them!

It will be interesting to see if McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi and/or McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nystom seek a piece of the pie.

The pie, by the way, costs McHenry County taxpayers about $9 million per year.

The DuPage County Board Chairman sent me and my wife a letter complaining that Illinois Republican party Chairman Andy McKenna had broken Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment:

As McHenry County Blog explained in this article,

,
McKenna criticized Schillerstrom for successfully fighting for higher taxes on the entire Chicago metropolitan area.

I figure Schillerstrom’s actions will cost us McHenry County taxpayers $18 million a year…assuming there is never any inflation.

Schillerstrom seems to have forgotten that old adage:

Schillerstrom claims to “have spent my entire career adhering to the GOP principles of smaller government, disciplined spending and fiscal conservatism.”

He made not mention of his and DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett’s and three of his county’s five state senators’ roles in TRIPLING the RTA sales tax for the five collar counties.

If that is what a conservative does, please save me from DuPage County conservatives.

It reminds me so much of what DuPage County politicians did in the 1980’s. About 90% of all the bonds issued in DuPage County were not approved by its voters.

Think airport authority, water commission and park districts for starters.

All controlled by Republicans.

The situation got so bad that gubernatorial candidate Jim Edgar proposed the property tax cap. I’ve been told by sources I trust that the anger of DuPage County homeowners inspired the proposal.

So, spare me the “I’ve been such a great county board chairman” pitch.

If you were such a great county board chairman, you would not have twisted three of your state senators’ arms enough to sell us in McHenry and Kane and Lake and Will Counties down the river in order to avoid cutting DuPage County spending in the sheriff’s and/or state’s attorney’s office.

Or you would have raised only the taxes in DuPage County, which you could have done by referendum (it was on the ballot, remember?), if you really thought your constituents would think that was the right and conservative thing to do.

And, your delegation would not have acted like children and walked out of the Republican Party Convention in Decatur.

The DuPage County Board Chairman sent me and my wife a letter complaining that Illinois Republican party Chairman Andy McKenna had broken Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment:

As McHenry County Blog explained in this article,

,
McKenna criticized Schillerstrom for successfully fighting for higher taxes on the entire Chicago metropolitan area.

I figure Schillerstrom’s actions will cost us McHenry County taxpayers $18 million a year…assuming there is never any inflation.

Schillerstrom seems to have forgotten that old adage:

Schillerstrom claims to “have spent my entire career adhering to the GOP principles of smaller government, disciplined spending and fiscal conservatism.”

He made not mention of his and DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett’s and three of his county’s five state senators’ roles in TRIPLING the RTA sales tax for the five collar counties.

If that is what a conservative does, please save me from DuPage County conservatives.

It reminds me so much of what DuPage County politicians did in the 1980’s. About 90% of all the bonds issued in DuPage County were not approved by its voters.

Think airport authority, water commission and park districts for starters.

All controlled by Republicans.

The situation got so bad that gubernatorial candidate Jim Edgar proposed the property tax cap. I’ve been told by sources I trust that the anger of DuPage County homeowners inspired the proposal.

So, spare me the “I’ve been such a great county board chairman” pitch.

If you were such a great county board chairman, you would not have twisted three of your state senators’ arms enough to sell us in McHenry and Kane and Lake and Will Counties down the river in order to avoid cutting DuPage County spending in the sheriff’s and/or state’s attorney’s office.

Or you would have raised only the taxes in DuPage County, which you could have done by referendum (it was on the ballot, remember?), if you really thought your constituents would think that was the right and conservative thing to do.

And, your delegation would not have acted like children and walked out of the Republican Party Convention in Decatur.

A press release has been received from Family PAC commenting in on Decatur’s Republican Party Convention. I thought it might be of interest to you.

Paul Caprio, Executive Director of Family-PAC, today commended State GOP Chairman, Andrew McKenna Jr., for comments that he made in addressing the Illinois GOP convention held in Decatur this past weekend.

Said Caprio,

“Andy McKenna sent an important message in criticizing former Governor Jim Thompson for promoting a pardon for convicted Ex-Governor George Ryan. McKenna also spoke out against the fact that both the County Chairman and the County Board Chairman in Dupage County had both supported and lobbyed for an increase in the sales tax in that County to bail out the Chicago Transit Authority.

“I thank Chairman McKenna for putting the Republican party on record and standing against un-needed tax increases that are unfairly applied to suburban tax payers. This is an indication of real political courage on his part and we applaud it. Only by standing up for his tried and true conservative principles is the Republican Party going to make progress in Illinois in the future.”

The annual Family PAC cruise will be held on July 28th this summer. It is a truly enjoyable event, although the clouds were a bit threatening last summer. They didn’t reach us in Lake Michigan, however.

A footnote to the convention:

Jim Thompson was named a delegate to the Republican National Convention.

A press release has been received from Family PAC commenting in on Decatur’s Republican Party Convention. I thought it might be of interest to you.

Paul Caprio, Executive Director of Family-PAC, today commended State GOP Chairman, Andrew McKenna Jr., for comments that he made in addressing the Illinois GOP convention held in Decatur this past weekend.

Said Caprio,

“Andy McKenna sent an important message in criticizing former Governor Jim Thompson for promoting a pardon for convicted Ex-Governor George Ryan. McKenna also spoke out against the fact that both the County Chairman and the County Board Chairman in Dupage County had both supported and lobbyed for an increase in the sales tax in that County to bail out the Chicago Transit Authority.

“I thank Chairman McKenna for putting the Republican party on record and standing against un-needed tax increases that are unfairly applied to suburban tax payers. This is an indication of real political courage on his part and we applaud it. Only by standing up for his tried and true conservative principles is the Republican Party going to make progress in Illinois in the future.”

The annual Family PAC cruise will be held on July 28th this summer. It is a truly enjoyable event, although the clouds were a bit threatening last summer. They didn’t reach us in Lake Michigan, however.

A footnote to the convention:

Jim Thompson was named a delegate to the Republican National Convention.

Yesterday, I held forth on how the Chicago Tribune’s bad, bad advice for more Republicans to vote for the RTA sales tax bill (Senate Bill 656) would further decimate suburban Republicans in the legislature.

Today, I turn to the root cause of the problem:

DuPage County’s rapacious county officials.

You know, the ones who never have enough money and–in the worst way–do not want to have to ask their constituents for permission to raise their taxes.

It’s as if this black cloud sweeping over Chicago has reversed course and headed due West.

The cloud of high taxes, heavier tax burdens.

In the State Senate, three DuPage County Republicans took a dive for DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom and voted for the CTA/RTA bailout:

• Dan Cronin
• Kirk Dillard and
• John Millner

This fall, how will any of these suburban Republicans explain why railroad commuter fares soared, even though RTA sales taxes only increased 25% in Cook County,while tripling in DuPage County? (And, yes, I know the county folks are going to take half of the increase.)

Maybe the senators are not up for election.

In an article by Meg Dedolph, the Naperville Sun reports the blowback that Schillerstrom is getting from

• State Rep. Joe Dunn of Naperville,
• State Sen. Randy Hultgren of Wheaton and
• State Rep. Jim Meyer of Bolingbrook

And, Schillerstrom should be taking grief.

“All” he has to do is pass a February 5th referendum to impose a quarter cent county sales tax and the legislation would not be needed.

Winnebago County did it by referendum.

Why can’t DuPage, if it is really needed and the “will of people?”

But local officials like Schillerstrom, of course, simply don’t trust the will of his people?

Local officials always want state legislators to take the heat for raising local taxes.

My belief is that those who spend tax dollars should take the responsibility for raising them…or at least proposing raising them. If they can convince a majority of the electorate to approve a referendum, they should feel free to pass the blame.

Undoubtedly there will be consequences.

The obvious one will be to give a boost to Democrats in DuPage County.

Let me tell you a consequence that may be unintended, but one which could affect national politics.

After misreading the Senate roll call on SB 656, I wrote an article about how State Senator Debbie Halvorson’s “Yes” vote could hurt her in her attempt to win Jerry Weller’s congressional seat. I have apologized elsewhere for my mistake, but I do so again.

Nevertheless, the three DuPage County Republican state senators who cast “Yes” votes allowed Halvorson to skate. She is recorded as not voting.

Now, if her vote had been required and cast, the chain of logic I laid out in my article showing how Republicans could benefit would be in play.

If Halvorson wins the seat for the Democrats, fingers ought to be pointed at Schillerstrom and these three state senators for helping allow it to happen.

Of course, she still might be required to vote “Yes,” if the DuPage County senators change their minds and vote “No” on the amendatory veto. One is the GOP county chairman and another is immediate past chairman. Too bad they haven’t shown their concern for the GOP’s future in their RTA votes.

But, they have another chance to help undo the damage they have inflicted on the Republican Party’s anti-tax brand.

Schillerstrom is following in the footsteps of DuPage County Republicans in the 1980’s. Then the biggest legislative goal of DuPage County officials was to get their legislators to raise local taxes without a referendum.

They succeeded. Think DuPage County Airport’s and Water Commission’s, not to mention the school and park districts’ borrowing without asking voters. I once had a study done by the Legislative Research Council that found about 90% of the outstanding debt in DuPage County resulted from non-referendum bonds.

No wonder there was a revolt.

DuPage County successful hiking of taxes without referendums led to Governor Jim Edgar’s property tax cap proposal.

I guess we outside of DuPage County should thank its taxpayers for allowing us to have the protection that they did not have when they needed it.

Yesterday, I held forth on how the Chicago Tribune’s bad, bad advice for more Republicans to vote for the RTA sales tax bill (Senate Bill 656) would further decimate suburban Republicans in the legislature.

Today, I turn to the root cause of the problem:

DuPage County’s rapacious county officials.

You know, the ones who never have enough money and–in the worst way–do not want to have to ask their constituents for permission to raise their taxes.

It’s as if this black cloud sweeping over Chicago has reversed course and headed due West.

The cloud of high taxes, heavier tax burdens.

In the State Senate, three DuPage County Republicans took a dive for DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom and voted for the CTA/RTA bailout:

• Dan Cronin
• Kirk Dillard and
• John Millner

This fall, how will any of these suburban Republicans explain why railroad commuter fares soared, even though RTA sales taxes only increased 25% in Cook County,while tripling in DuPage County? (And, yes, I know the county folks are going to take half of the increase.)

Maybe the senators are not up for election.

In an article by Meg Dedolph, the Naperville Sun reports the blowback that Schillerstrom is getting from

• State Rep. Joe Dunn of Naperville,
• State Sen. Randy Hultgren of Wheaton and
• State Rep. Jim Meyer of Bolingbrook

And, Schillerstrom should be taking grief.

“All” he has to do is pass a February 5th referendum to impose a quarter cent county sales tax and the legislation would not be needed.

Winnebago County did it by referendum.

Why can’t DuPage, if it is really needed and the “will of people?”

But local officials like Schillerstrom, of course, simply don’t trust the will of his people?

Local officials always want state legislators to take the heat for raising local taxes.

My belief is that those who spend tax dollars should take the responsibility for raising them…or at least proposing raising them. If they can convince a majority of the electorate to approve a referendum, they should feel free to pass the blame.

Undoubtedly there will be consequences.

The obvious one will be to give a boost to Democrats in DuPage County.

Let me tell you a consequence that may be unintended, but one which could affect national politics.

After misreading the Senate roll call on SB 656, I wrote an article about how State Senator Debbie Halvorson’s “Yes” vote could hurt her in her attempt to win Jerry Weller’s congressional seat. I have apologized elsewhere for my mistake, but I do so again.

Nevertheless, the three DuPage County Republican state senators who cast “Yes” votes allowed Halvorson to skate. She is recorded as not voting.

Now, if her vote had been required and cast, the chain of logic I laid out in my article showing how Republicans could benefit would be in play.

If Halvorson wins the seat for the Democrats, fingers ought to be pointed at Schillerstrom and these three state senators for helping allow it to happen.

Of course, she still might be required to vote “Yes,” if the DuPage County senators change their minds and vote “No” on the amendatory veto. One is the GOP county chairman and another is immediate past chairman. Too bad they haven’t shown their concern for the GOP’s future in their RTA votes.

But, they have another chance to help undo the damage they have inflicted on the Republican Party’s anti-tax brand.

Schillerstrom is following in the footsteps of DuPage County Republicans in the 1980’s. Then the biggest legislative goal of DuPage County officials was to get their legislators to raise local taxes without a referendum.

They succeeded. Think DuPage County Airport’s and Water Commission’s, not to mention the school and park districts’ borrowing without asking voters. I once had a study done by the Legislative Research Council that found about 90% of the outstanding debt in DuPage County resulted from non-referendum bonds.

No wonder there was a revolt.

DuPage County successful hiking of taxes without referendums led to Governor Jim Edgar’s property tax cap proposal.

I guess we outside of DuPage County should thank its taxpayers for allowing us to have the protection that they did not have when they needed it.