McHenry County Blog

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, except on the Cook County overlapping districts.

And with the exception of the Huntley situation this year.

[I figured out how to fix the Cook County inequity, but no one has the will to take it on and it's not your concern.

[To fix the overlapping tax district problem between Cook County and the collar counties, each class of property has to be equalized. Now, a raw weighed average is used. That results in homeowners in Cook County still being assessed lower than homeowners in the collar county portions of overlapping schools, municipalities, etc. No legislator has the courage to fix this problem.]

A Sun City sign on the Kane County side of the line.

Pete Gonigan of the First Electric Newspaper has nailed what caused the inequity in real estate taxation in Sun City.

Grafton Township Assessor Bill Ottley used a one-year average comparing assessments to sales prices (called a “sales ratio study”), while Rutland Township Assessor Janet Siers used the three-year average mandated by state law.

[The three-year average was an ill-conceived concession I made back in the 1970's at the behest of the Illinois Agriculture Association. Farmland then was assessed according to fair market value, the same way homes and businesses are. But, developers were buying property for Galena Territory where Eagle Ridge Resort is located in Jo Davies County. The price per acre was apparently well above the price being paid for farm land to be used for farming. The Farm Bureau argued that a three-year average should be used so such price spikes would not drive up the assessment of all farmland in such situations.

[I was on the committee figuring out how to draft the law to define assessments. My preference was a one-year average, but the three-year average idea carried the day. Ironically, that was not good enough for the Farm Bureau. In short order, a law was passed which mandating assessing farmland based on productivity. That resulted in homeowners now paying much higher taxes on their houses than farmers pay on their land, which is worth substantially more.]

In 1973, I sponsored of the original bill to implement the overlapping tax district equalization authority of the 1970 State Constitution in 1973.

That section of the Revenue article was inserted by Barrington Con-Con Delegate Jeanette Mullin. She, with Jeff Ladd, served a two-township deep district above the southern boundary of McHenry and Lake County running from Lake Michigan to the western edge of Grafton and Dorr Townships.

Mullin had a special interest in the problem because she lived west of the Barrington High School just north of the Cook-Lake County. That meant she and her Cuba Township neighbors paid far higher tax bills tn homeowners living in Barrington Township.

That they still do testifies to the inadequacy of my 1973 legislation.

The Sun City inequities can be rectified by putting into law a definition of the years to be used in the sales ratio study.

Obviously real estate taxes will not be fairly apportioned if one county uses a 3-year average and another a 1-year average.

Although Governor Pat Quinn has not yet signed the reapportionment bill crafted by Illinois Democratic Party leaders, it appears that both the Kane and McHenry County parts of Sun City will be in the same state representative and senate districts.

Mike Tryon, who has announced his candidacy in the state rep. district and faces no opposition, and whoever is elected state senator (no announced candidate yet) will not be able to please both parts of Sun City.

If Kane County homeowners in Sun City see their taxes go down, the difference will be picked up by those in McHenry County.

About all the legislators will be able to say is they are trying to make things fair.

The Trading Post on the corner across the street no only sells novelty items, but appears to be THE shoe store in town. It also has cold cans of soft drinks for 75 cents.

My apologies to the first-time commenters this past extended weekend as my family and I were taking a short vacation at Galena’s Eagle Ridge Inn. All are now up but the one with the swear word.

One of my diversions was trying to find if I could find more Wisconsin State Senators. I figured that now they don’t have to be in Illinois to avoid legislative votes they might have come back for the ambiance.

And what part of northern Illinois has more ambiance than Galena?

We’re walking up the main drag and I see a couple getting out of a car in front of the DeSoto House.

It is not as easy as you might think to spot a Wisconsin State Senator. They don’t have legislative plates as is the case in Illinois.

This Green Bay Packer fan admitted he was a Wisconsin State Senator.

So I had to ask.

“Are you a Wisconsin State Senator, sir?”

I got was a smile from the man as the man denied being one and walked from the street to the sidewalk to join his wife.

We were walking on the other side of the street and I spotted a man wearing a “WISCONSIN” sweatshirt.

He, too, denied representing his state in the upper house.

But at Happy Joe’s the last day I hit pay dirt.

Sitting next to us at the place where the Taco Pizza was invented was a man wearing a Green Bay Packer jersey.

Having struck out up until then I was hesitant to ask.

But, finally, I did.

And he admitted to it!

He didn’t even object to my taking his photograph.

And, maybe he was.

The self-identified Wisconsin State Senator made tracks for the door of Happy Jack's in Galena.

The last time I saw him he wasn’t headed toward the game room to play Foosball.

He was headed for the Exit to the Route 20 parking lot.

When we visited Eagle Ridge last spring break, the magnolia trees were blooming outside our room and it was warm enough for bare legs.

Having examined the plane fares to Florida, the three Skinners certainly are not flying south.

So, the question is where we can drive?

Should we go to a water park in the Wisconsin Dells, Rockford (as some Wisconsin State Senators did) or Gurnee?

Alternately, how about a return to Galena Territory, where we stayed at the Eagle Ridge inn as the magnolias were blooming?

This couple was enjoying a round of golf as we were off to Downtown Galena.

My wife and I have never golfed together, but if she could get a girl friend to go with her, she’d be up for a round, I’ll bet.

Others were playing tennis, but that’s not my game either.

People were enjoying the tennis courts.

And, if you go to The Atomic Toy Company (owned by Crystal Laker Dave Rokusek), your son and his buddy might pick up some liquid sting and he invent their own competition.

As this liquid string fight was going on, I was wondering what the grounds people might think when they next mowed the grass.

The Atomic Toy Company is chockful of toys from days gone past. There are enough toys priced under $1 that anyone can find something worth buying. It really is the one store Downtown that should not be missed.

That’s not to say there isn’t a lot to keep one busy on the grounds.

My idea of a vacation is being able to sit down and read a book (although I also stand in long Disney World lines and read). From the balcony of our room at Eagle Ridge, I could watch the action on the path below and keep an eye out for the resort's namesake bird.

There’s a path running around Galena Lake. Whether it’s walking a dog or with one’s family, it’s a way to commune with nature.

Not only were the magnolias out while we visited last spring, but daffodils were blooming near the parth.

There's a clear view of the lake before the leaves come out.

I’m pretty sure the path goes all the way around the lake. There’s such a great view of it from the Eagle Inn dining room and upper walkways.

If renting a boat is too ambitious for vacationers, they can just sit on a bench as the couple below is. Actually, it was warm enough to take a boat out on the lake the week we were in Galena Territory, but they were in winter storage.

From the docks I sighted below the high deck, it appears that visitors can rent boats when it is warmer.

The dining room at Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena.

Inside is a wonderful dining room.  Get a table by the window at sunset.

Sunset from the Eagle Ridge Resort dining room.

The view is remarkable.  And there’s people watching, too, because a walkway is between the dining area and the view.

If you don’t want to dine so formally, there is a deli.

The staff at Pizanos Deli is so fast, my digital camera could only catch a blur. (Look in the lower left hand side of the photo.)

There’s plenty of seating.  I see five tables indoors and there more outside.

Look at all the tables in the deli.

If the woman of the family manages to find the shops…

The shops are on the right, just as one comes in the main door.

There are comfortable chairs just beyond in front of the dining room.

If your wife goes shopping, I'd advise bringing a novel to spend the time along.

Of course, you could just go into the bar and watch some game on TV.

The Eagle Ridge bar is right acorss a hall from the deli. I imagine one could eat deli food there, too.

One day while my son and his friend were in the pool, I went exploring.

The spring days were so moderate that the pools room was rolled back so fresh air could come in.

I walked down a long hall and admired the paintings that were for sale.

It appears that the old lead mining town of Galena is home to a lot of artists.

As I walked down the hall, I discovered that Eagle Ridge is not only a resort, it is a conference center.

The tables were set for some big affair in the conference dining room. People in attendance probably hope they get near the windows.

My immediate inspiration for writing this article was an email that I just got from Eagle Ridge about a “Wine Lovers Weekend.” I’m not a fan of wine, but one whom I love is.  Come to think of it, I don’t even know if March 24-27 is during Crystal Lake’s spring break.  No matter, we’d bring wine and buy it at meals.

Eagle Ridge Resort's private label red.

Eagle Ridge has its own label, which my wife likes.  My guess is there will be wine from many vineyards.

Galena Cellars is just inside the flood gate off Route 20.

We always visit Galena Cellars.

Almost forgot.  I didn’t get any pictures, but my wife loves the spa.

David Bachmann writes the blog entitled “Dirty Harry vs. Dirty Keith” strays from his criticism of McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren today.

He lives in Galena Territory and has a handy camera to take photos of those visiting the place…at least of their cars.

A lot of influential types from the Chicago area make the trip.

One of the NIU cars found at Eagle Ridge Resort.

The day news was breaking about the discovery of a girl’s body in a wooden area next to campus, two NIU cars were at the resort called the Eagle Ridge Inn.

Co-ed Antinette “Toni” Keller disappeared last week, sending chills up and down the spines of the university student parents. Just in is news that the burned body found is hers.

Upon examination, he found “there was a full blown ‘Luncheon’ going on for the University Types.”

A second story publishes the first photos of a Galena Territory home that was torched, killing the couple inside.  James and Margaret Marnowski died in the fire.  Little progress seems to have been made in solving the crime.

I guess I should mention that those following the Sheriff’s race also read Zane Seipler’s blog “McHenry County Sheriff’s Department Exposed.” That blog will disappear as soon as Nygren decides to rehire Seipler, because it is against standing orders for deputies to to opine.

Seipler won that from an arbitrator, which was upheld by a Circuit Court Judge. Nygren is now deciding whether to appeal that loss to the Appellate Court. Zeipler reports today that the deadline in October 28th, five days before the election.

Up 1,525%!

Chestnut Mountain Resort has six ski lifts.

I was reading Capitol Fax Blog yesterday and found a reference to a Quad City Times editorial about the Pat Quinn administration having raised ski lift inspection fees from $60 to $950.

Democrats punching business in the gut again.

We visited Chestnut Mountain south of Galena this spring before all of the snow had melted on its slope.

You can guess that I took some photos.

We were at Eagle Ridge and had taken a side trip so my son and his friend could see the Mississippi River close up and personal.

We didn’t find a place where they could touch it until we found Chestnut Mountain.

Tossing rocks into the Mississippi River near the Chestnut Mountain dock.

The snow had not yet completely melted.

Snow still covered parts of Chestnut Mountain's slopes.

The magnolias were blooming at Eagle Ridge.

The magnolia tree house our room at Eagle Ridge Resort was blooming the week we visited.

The kids had fun hacking on the sides of a crevasse of a cliff containing probably the oldest exposed rocks in Illinois. They weren’t scoured by the glacier or covered by glacial till.

Into the breach, the not quite teenagers went.

One of the bigger attractions was the messiest. The boys found a wall of mud up the slope.

The exposed side of this hill revealed clay that could be worked.

Naturally, they had to bring home samples.

One pancaked shaped, the other a ball.

There seemed to be two families at Chestnut Mountain.

I assume one was staying.

We were alone on the restaurant overlooking the sky hill and Mississippi River above which bald eagles were flying.

It cost me the price of soft drinks and red wine.

But, back to Illinois Democrats making it harder to make a profit at Chestnut Mountain.

Capitol Fax Blog linked to an editorial in the Quad City Times, a paper that circulates in Galena.

Here’s how it starts:

“If any place other than the state of Illinois attempted this, we’d call it a shakedown.“Instead, it’s called a regulatory fee, intended to offset the results of a zillion bad budgeting decisions that have nothing to do with regulation.

“Illinois’ new regulatory fees include an astounding 1,525 percent increase for state ski lift inspections. Last year, it was $60. This year, it will be $975.”

What does the state inspection consist of?

“They just started doing it about five years ago. Somebody would come from Springfield with a bucket load of stickers. They’d put a sticker in your window and take your money,” the Quad City Times quotes nearby Snowstar’s Ed Meyer.

“They’d basically look at you and say, ‘So, how does this thing work?’”

Here's the map on a sign above the Chestnut Mountain Resort slope.

So, with six ski lifts, that’s an extra $5,430 in business expense for Chestnut Mountain.

In Wisconsin, the article says the state requires “third party, independent inspections.”

Presumably by someone who knows something about ski lifts.

Think Alpine Valley, where many McHenry County residents go to ski.

“Upon reflection, we find nothing to distinguish this fee gouging from a shakedown,”

the editorial concludes.

No word on what the state is going to charge to inspect the water slides used in the summer.

Who does the inspection?

The Labor Department’s Carnival and Amusement Ride Inspection Division.

Didn’t know an Amtrak route is planned through McHenry County.

Well, if you are a regular reader of McHenry County Blog, you would.

Links to McHenry County Blog’s stories follow:

April 3, 2010 – Quinn Says Amtrak Going Through Belvidere

April 6, 2010 – Illinois Railway Museum’s Executive Director Nick Kallas Analyzes Amtrak Route Selection through McHenry County

With 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo’s sending out a press release about his efforts to convince Amtrak to pick up and discharge passengers on the new state-financed line that is proposed to run through southern McHenry County, don’t you think that the Northwest and Daily Heralds will finally run a story on the subject?

Congressman Manzullo’s press release follows:

Manzullo Seeks Amtrak Stop for McHenry County

[CRYSTAL LAKE] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) today called on Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to designate a stop in McHenry County as part of the state’s decision to extend Amtrak passenger rail from Chicago to Dubuque, Iowa.

U.S.Senator Dick Drubin and U.S. Representative Don Manzullo at Amtrak hearing held in Rockford a couple of years ago.

Manzullo, who has worked closely with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to return Amtrak and commuter rail to northern Illinois, sent a letter to the Governor today requesting an Amtrak stop in either Huntley or Marengo.

The $60 million in funds necessary to upgrade the tracks for the Chicago to Iowa Amtrak route were included in the state capital bill, and construction is expected to take 18 months with service scheduled to begin in 2012.

Amtrak Route from Elgin to Rockford running through Huntley, Union and Marengo in McHenry County.

Gov. Quinn announced earlier this month Amtrak would follow a northern route on existing tracks running from Elgin’s Big Timber Metra station through the counties of McHenry, Boone, Winnebago, Stephenson and JoDaviess counties before crossing into Iowa.

Quinn and Amtrak previously announced stops in Belvidere, Rockford, Freeport, and Galena, and Manzullo is requesting a stop in McHenry County.

“Establishing a stop in McHenry County will help increase Amtrak ridership and secure the route’s viability while providing tremendous benefits for businesses, tourism, and quality of life in one of the fast-growing collar counties of Chicago,” Manzullo said.

“Establishing an Amtrak stop in McHenry County could also expedite the eventual extension of Milwaukee District/West Metra commuter rail service from Big Timber to Huntley and Marengo and beyond to Belvidere and Rockford since they will traverse the same tracks.”

The mayors of Huntley and Marengo have each submitted letters to Manzullo expressing interest in hosting an Amtrak stop. Manzullo’s letter to the Governor as well as the mayors’ letters are attached.
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Sign just before reaching the Eagle Ridge Inn.

The Skinner family drove to Galena during the middle of the week of Spring Break.

The tracks Amtrak would take along the Mississippi River to get to Galena.

We had an enjoyable stay at the Eagle Ridge Inn.  It’s about a 2 hour and fifteen minute drive from Crystal Lake.

I even saw two eagles flying over the trees about 50 feet from our third floor room, allowing the resort to live up to its name of Eagle Ridge. (Couldn’t find the camera in time though, unfortunately.)

What fun it would be to take the train.

We even saw the track that the train would take to Galena while we were exploring the Mississippi River.  They were the same tracks that Amtrak used when we rode from Chicago to  Denver, renting a car to drive to Colorado Springs a couple of years ago.

Sign pointing to the Chestnut Mountain Resort.

Driving over the Mississippi into Iowa wasn’t good enough for me. I insisted the two 12-year olds be able to touch it.

We ended up between the railroad tracks and another resort, Chestnut Mountain.

If we took Amtrak, I’m willing to be that both resorts would provide bus service to and from Downtown Galena, where the train station is locate.

What an adventure it would be for those who have never taken a train except to Chicago.

Governor Pat Quinn announced that the favored route to Rockford and on to Galena and Dubuque would run through Belvidere on the track that runs through Huntley and past the Illinois Railroad Museum.

In a Monday Rockford political press conference (as opposed to a governmental press conference) with his newly chosen running mate former Carbondale city councilwoman and failed candidate for mayor Sheila Simon at his side (proving it was a political appearance), Governor Pat Quinn announced that the Amtrak route to Rockford and, then, to Dubuque, Iowa.

So what?

Routes that competed for state government's and Amtrak's favor. The northern-most route running through Huntley, Union and Marengo was announced by Governor Pat Quinn as the favored route Monday. The next problem is convincing Amtrak to pick up passengers in McHenry County. (Click to enlarge map.)

So, that means it will be on the track running through Huntley and Marengo.

Hence, it’s news to McHenry County readers.

The whole route would be from Chicago to Dubuque, but, according to this document no stops are planned for McHenry County.

Galena Train Station seen from the top of the levy across next to Downtown Galena.

People wanting to travel to Galena, where we spent the mid-week at the Eagle Ridge Resort off Route 20, would have to board at Elgin’s Big Timber Road Station.

Huntley Union Pacific train tracks crossing Route 47.

Maybe if Huntley built a station, Amtrak could be enticed to pick up and drop off passengers.

Or maybe the old station at the Illinois Railroad Museum could be used for McHenry County.  That wouldn’t be too close to Elgin and would have plenty of parking.

Downtown Galena, Illinois

After all, a big of the push to get Amtrak service is to get tourists to Galena.

The Eagle Creek Resort already runs buses to Downtown Galena, so it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to assume that the resort would be willing to pick up paying guests at the train station.

And, can’t you imagine the Chicago area folks who have about an hour longer drive to get to Galena than it took us (2 hours and ten minutes from Eagle Ridge to our house without any stops) taking the train out for the weekend.

Suset on April 1, 2010, as seen from the restaurant of the Eagle Ridge Resort.

They might get to the Eagle Ridge Resort just in time to eat dinner in the dining room and see a sunset over the lake like this one we saw on April 1st.

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Dick Durbin and Don Manzullo conducted a hearing on Amtrak's running from Chicago to Dubuque in March od 2007.

You can read about the Rockford hearing on the project which U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo conducted here.