State’s Attorney’s Office Contacting New County Board Members Holding Other Elected Positions

Multiple sources have told McHenry County Blog that the McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi’s Office is making contact with the three newly-elected members of the County Board to advise them of the conflict of interest that would exist if … Continue reading

Cook County Nursing Home Residents at Democrats’ Mercy, GOP Volunteers Sought

And, according to this email today from Defend the Vote‘s Sharon Meroni, the Democratic Party election officials won’t even tell who the judges will be who take votes from nursing home residents. The voting will be Friday and she seeks … Continue reading

More Cook County Political Corruption – Bribe Taking for Assessment Cuts Arrests

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: TWO COOK COUNTY BOARD OF REVIEW ANALYSTS CHARGED WITH ACCEPTING $1,500 BRIBE TO FACILITATE $14,000 PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION CHICAGO — Two analysts for the Cook County Board of Review were arrested today … Continue reading

14 Days Until McHenry County Republican Inaction Annoints “Chainsaw Jack” Franks for a Third Uncontested Term

Over the weekend I became convinced that McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon is the only one who can either take steps to allow Tea Party activist Tonya Franklin a chance to get on the ballot to run against … Continue reading

Compare Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ Miniscule and Governor Pat Quinn’s Property Taxes to Yours

The inequity of the Illinois real estate tax system hit home again last Thursday as I read Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown’s piece. In it, he points out that Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas has her Water Tower Place condo … Continue reading

Differences Between Requests for a Special Prosecutor in Cook and McHenry Counties

This past Friday there were stories in the Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune about the request by David Koschman’s mother for a Cook County Special Prosecutor to be named by Judge Michael Toomin. It caught my interest because of McHenry County … Continue reading

Where Are We As Far as Real Estate Taxes Go?

The Tax Foundation has some remarkable work comparing property tax burdens across the United States. Want to know what part of the country to look at for retirement, if cutting your property taxes is one of your goals? Take a … Continue reading

How to Solve the Sun City Property Tax Inequities

As the sponsor of the overlapping tax district bill in 1973, I think there may be a way to tweak it to make sure what happened in Sun City won’t happen again. A weighted average is now used. That works, … Continue reading

Sales Tax Hike Phase-out in Chicago, But Not in Crystal Lake

Front page news on both of Chicago’s papers today was the Cook County Board’s vote to phase out its hefty sales tax under the now out-of-office Todd Stroger. The Crystal Lake City Council’s March, 2008, 75% city sales tax increase went … Continue reading

“Some Judges Caught Skipping Out Early: Full-Time Pay for Part-Time Work”

That’s the headline on the BGA promo below. It certainly did not apply to McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Michael T. Caldwell’s courtroom last Tuesday in the Grafton Township trial. Participants pretty well closed the courthouse. They left about 6 … Continue reading

Finding Someone in County Jail

Update of June 15, 2012. There is now a way to find people in the McHenry County Jail.  Look here for the link. = = = = = A friend of McHenry County Blog was trying to find out if … Continue reading