McHenry County Blog

The McHenry County Board has the opportunity to plow new ground by enacting the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water’s conflict of interest revelation ordinance for elected officials, employees, appointees and consultants.

Someone in Kane County has come up with the idea of enacting an ordinance to prevent revolving door money making by retiring Kane County Board members.

Such folks “would be forbidden from being employed by the county for one year after leaving office or serving on paid commissions while in office, under a proposed ethics ordinance,” according to the article by Nick Swedberg.

The measure would also limit annual contractors contributions and affiliated Political Action Committees to board members to $1,000.

The article says the idea started in DuPage County.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the DuPage County Board has voted without dissent to ban video poker (read “slot machines”) in unincorporated liquor license holders’ establishments.

The annual estimated loss of income is $300,000.

DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, who is running for governor, made the ban a central part of his campaign, as you can see from the front page of his web site that I have captured.

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.

Remember the article that appeared here about the pay for McHenry County Board members?

Thursday, the Chicago Tribune ran an article by Joseph Sjostrom entitled, “DuPage County Board freezes most members’ salaries”

Here’s the paragraph I find stunning:

“All 18 board members will make $50,079 this year. The six members elected in 2006 receive raises in 2009 and in 2010, bringing their salaries to $51,581 in 2009 and $53,645 in 2010.”

These folks have also been receiving $3,000 for being a committee chairman and $1,000 for serving as vice chairman.

Talk about being able to buy support of county board members!

That has been canceled.

Here’s what Lake County Board members say they are worth.

Remember the article that appeared here about the pay for McHenry County Board members?

Thursday, the Chicago Tribune ran an article by Joseph Sjostrom entitled, “DuPage County Board freezes most members’ salaries”

Here’s the paragraph I find stunning:

“All 18 board members will make $50,079 this year. The six members elected in 2006 receive raises in 2009 and in 2010, bringing their salaries to $51,581 in 2009 and $53,645 in 2010.”

These folks have also been receiving $3,000 for being a committee chairman and $1,000 for serving as vice chairman.

Talk about being able to buy support of county board members!

That has been canceled.

Here’s what Lake County Board members say they are worth.