McHenry County Blog

This sign is in front of the Park & Ride lot in Genoa City, Wisconsin, just over the state line from Richmond.

The energy crisis hit us in 1975.

It was so intense that my constituents took after me while I filled my tank with gas at the station next to the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce building.

One of the obvious answers was carpooling.

But, where to park?

Nowhere in McHenry County.

For years as we went to Wisconsin on Route 12 I looked at the Park and Ride lot just over the state line in Genoa.

Now, 37 years later, the McHenry County Transportation Committee will consider a resolution to award a $99,597 contract with Civiltech Engineering for “construction management and inspection services.”

The regional planning agency (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning) has been looking as such parking lots since 2007.

Construction is not contemplated until 2013.

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds will pay for Civiltech’s services.

The next step in lowering electric rates 46% (not Com Ed’s delivery charge) has taken place.

Direct Energy has notified residents of the municipalities which awarded it the contract (Woodstock, Huntley, Lakewood, Ringwood and Genoa) that they have the right to ope-out of the bulk buying contract.

Here’s the letter (click to enlarge):

If you are in unincorporated McHenry County or one of the municipalities who didn’t pass electric aggregation, you can sign up individually with any number of companies.

But, you’ll have to do it on your own.

A press release from the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium and the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium:

Direct Energy Offers Fixed Electricity Price to Five Communities in the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium

The Direct Energy logo.

Illinois (April 30-, 2012) – As part of its agreement with the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium (NIGEAC), Direct Energy has set a new fixed rate for electricity customers in the cities of Genoa and Woodstock and the villages of Huntley, Lakewood and Ringwood.

For the August 2012 through July 2013 billing cycles, customers in the cities of Genoa and Woodstock and the villages of Huntley, Lakewood and Ringwood will pay $0.04169 per kWh for electricity supply (exclusive of utility distribution charges and taxes).

The current ComEd rate is $0.0773 per kWh. Please be advised that ComEd’s rates may change over time. [These delivery charges are the ones that State Reps. Jack Franks and Mike Tryon and State Senator Pam Althoff agreed to allow to be raised at least $3 a month.]

Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium

The NIGEAC has an agreement with Direct Energy for an electricity Opt-Out Aggregation Program, a program that is available to residential and small business consumers currently served by the local utility in Genoa, Huntley, Lakewood, Ringwood and Woodstock.

Under the Opt-Out Aggregation agreement, residents in those communities that are currently served by the utility are automatically included in the Opt-Out Aggregation pricing plan unless they contact Direct Energy to be excluded.

Direct Energy will be sending all residents of the five NIGEAC communities an opt-out letter in the coming weeks that will give them the option of starting service with Direct Energy or opting out of the program to stay with ComEd. The letters will explain how residents can opt-out of the program, if they so choose to do so.

“We are pleased that residents and small businesses in these communities represented by the NIGEAC will have the option of purchasing electricity through this agreement,” said Anna Moeller, Official Coordinator for NIGEAC and Executive Director of the McHenry County Council of Governments.

The NIGEAC is an intergovernmental consortium of five northern Illinois communities including the cities of Woodstock and Genoa and the villages of Huntley, Lakewood and Ringwood. It was created to coordinate the electricity aggregation process for these communities in order to achieve administrative costs savings and possibly more competitive electricity rates through the combined purchasing power of the five communities.

# # #

About Direct Energy

Direct Energy is one of North America’s largest energy and energy-related services providers with more than 6 million residential and commercial customer relationships. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE:CNA), one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 46 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 10 provinces in Canada.

Larry Snow

“While Democrats say Teachers ‘Have Kept Their Part of the Deal?’“

is the title of an April 5, 2011, article by former Huntley School District 158 Board member Larry Snow.  (The quote was in the Chicago Tribune Marcy 31, 2011.  It is from Executive Director Dick Ingram of Teachers’ Retirement System.)

The article was published in “The Champion” with this teaser:

“82,981 of 132,502 Illinois Teachers Pay Nothing or Little into Their Pensions“

That’s 63% of all teachers in Illinois.

The State Journal-Register is reporting that State Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park) is promoting a bill where state and local governments would all pay six percent of payroll toward employee pensions.

In a revealing sentence in reporter Chris Wetterich’s article, he writes,

“What’s unclear is how much more employees themselves would have to pay.“

Because no one has done the research except, I believe, the Illinois Education Association and Snow, how much extra teachers would have to pay if their so-called contribution rate was raised from 9.4% to 13.77% is a really good question.

While not covering every school district in Illinois, Snow did research the teachers’ contracts for all of the large school districts (by law all are supposed to be on the internet) in order to find out how much teachers pay in order to get a “full 75 percent pension after working only 27 years.” He points out, “Most adults work for 27 years before they turn age 50.”

As way of background, Snow notes that teachers are not in the Social Security System and, therefore, are not forced to pay Social Security taxes.

“Ordinary workers get hit with a 6.2 percent deduction for Social Security,” Snow writes. “It’s a deduction they have to pay federal and state income taxes on.

“Democrats gave teachers a huge loophole of not paying income taxes on any of their pension deductions” he continues. “This enormous no-tax handout to teachers amounts to billions of dollars each year.”

Snow’s research leads him to this conclusion:

“Over 51,000 of the total 132,502 teachers in Illinois contribute nothing from their K-12 paychecks into their pensions. Illinois law says it is to be 9.4 percent.

“About an additional 32,000 teachers pay little into their pensions. It is 1.81 percent to be precise for these 31,956 teachers.“

How many teachers pay not a dime toward their retirement?

51,025 teachers in 186 school districts pay nothing for retirement benefits.

They “don’t pay a penny into the 9.4 percent called out by Illinois law.

“There are a total of 868 districts in Illinois.

“The pay-zero teachers listed are 39 percent of all teachers in Illinois,” Snow reveals.

No agency in state government seems to keep track of this information.

Not the Downstate Teachers Retirement Fund, which boldly and incorrectly claims,

“Active TRS members are required to contribute 9.4 percent of their creditable earnings each year…”

The State Board of Education doesn’t keep track either.

My guess is that only the Illinois Education Association has a matrix showing what school districts have given what benefits in contract negotiations.

Snow discovered this about Lockport:

“…on page 14 of the Lockport Township HS 205 teachers contract it reads:

1. The Board will pay the current level of retirement contribution to the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois.”
2. It is expressly understood that figures appearing on this salary schedule include a sum equal to the current level of TRS contribution of the base salary of each Teacher which is, in fact, payable to the Teachers’ Retirement System on the Teacher’s behalf.”

“The ISBE report shows this board paying nothing. A Democrat bureaucracy doesn’t check the teachers contracts to see if what is reported, matches what’s in writing.”

And, if legislation is passed requiring 4.37 percentage points more, how long do you think it will take Lockport taxpayers to pick up the difference?

Given that local teachers’ unions pretty much control school boards wherever they are elected (read everywhere but Chicago), my guess is will be on the top of the collective bargaining list.

Do you wonder if Rep. McCarthy knows that?

Is his proposal just a setting up local taxpayers for an even bigger fall?

Five years from now will 39% of teachers still be paying nothing for their pensions?

Even better for teachers is that this pension payment ups their pension payments.

Take a look at the chart below.  Chances are your school district is on it.

Chart of Pension Contributions by 82,981 District Teachers of 132,502 Total Illinois K-12 Teachers

Name of District	No. of Teachers	Percent of Pension Contributed by Teachers
Thornton Twp 205	428	Zero
Proviso 209	281	Zero
Waukegan 60	1,098	Zero
Morton 201	455	Zero
Kankakee 111	348	Zero
Joliet 204	340	Zero
Round Lake 116	387	Zero
Rockford	1,843	Zero
Decatur 61	454	Zero
Crete Monee	340	Zero
Danville 118	382	Zero
Valley View 365	1,068	Zero
Aurora West 129	706	Zero
East Peoria 309	69	Zero
Galesburg	281	Zero
Bremen 228	313	Zero
Freeport	317	Zero
Leyden 212	219	Zero
Elgin U-46	2,332	Zero
Rock Island	388	Zero
Mattoon	225	Zero
Collinsville	394	Zero
Massac 1	143	Zero
Sterling	219	Zero
Belvidere	531	Zero
Quincy	436	Zero
Dixon	179	Zero
West Chicago	248	Zero
Cook County 130	289	Zero
Cicero 99	738	Zero
Joliet 86	617	Zero
Harvey 152	163	Zero
Crystal Lake 155	412	Zero
Crystal Lake 47	564	Zero
Wheeling 21	489	Zero
Champaign 4	717	Zero
United CUSD 304	68	Zero
Riverdale 100	76	Zero
Reed Custer 255	114	Zero
Wilmington 209U	84	Zero
United Township 30	90	Zero
Summit Hill 161	213	Zero
Plainfield	1,695	Zero
Schiller Park 81	98	Zero
Dolton 149	176	Zero
Township 211 Palatine	799	Zero
Ball Chatham 5	248	Zero
Taylorville 3	152	Zero
Williamsville 15	81	Zero
Harrisburg 3	130	Zero
Belleville 201	281	Zero
Dupo 196	76	Zero
O’Fallon 203	145	Zero
O’Fallon 90	207	Zero
Rochester 3A	142	Zero
Pekin 108	248	Zero
Morton 709	175	Zero
New Lenox 122	287	Zero
Frankfort 157	158	Zero
Marion 2	219	Zero
Carterville 5	110	Zero
Kinnikinnick 131	122	Zero
Tolono 7	116	Zero
Mahomet-Seymour 3	161	Zero
Champaign 4	717	Zero
Urbana	346	Zero
Charleston 1	180	Zero
Park Ridge 64	319	Zero
Evanston 202	222	Zero
Maine HSD 207	508	Zero
Arlington Heights 214	753	Zero
Niles 219	350	Zero
Berkeley 87	165	Zero
Berwyn South	263	Zero
Lyons 204	239	Zero
Lemont 113	144	Zero
Palatine 15	713	Zero
Schaumburg 54	1,003	Zero
Oak Lawn 123	203	Zero
Oak Lawn 229	114	Zero
CHSD 230 Orland Park	519	Zero
Argo 217	111	Zero
Homewood 233	174	Zero
Genoa 424	137	Zero
Sycamore 427	231	Zero
Dekalb 428	362	Zero
Lombard 44	216	Zero
Downers Grove 58	277	Zero
Hinsdale 86	296	Zero
Elmhurst 205	538	Zero
Naperville 203	1,063	Zero
Effingham 40	176	Zero
Canton Union 66	175	Zero
Morris 54	61	Zero
Morris 101	50	Zero
Coal City 1	138	Zero
Jersey 100	164	Zero
Central CUSD 301	224	Zero
Kaneland 302	275	Zero
St. Charles 303	880	Zero
Cahokia	298	0.4
Chicago Public Schools	23,219	2
Peoria 150	988	0.4
Springfield	1,105	0.4
Moline 40	461	0.4
Harvard	149	0.87
Dolton 148	236	1.4
Belleville 118	228	0.4
Pekin 303	125	0.4
Hononegah 207	118	0.4
Arlington Heights 59	444	3
Leyden 212	219	0.4
Summit 104	103	0.4
Palos 118	130	0.4
CHSD 219 Orland Park	519	0.4
Bensenville 2	145	1.4
DuPage 88	266	0.4
CHSD 94	122	0.9
CUSD 300	1,189	4.4
Hawthorn 73	253	1.4
Lake Forest 115	132	0.4
Wauconda 118	273	0.4
Johnsburg 12	158	0.4
Cary 26	192	4.9
Woodstock 200	385	1.4
Keeneyville 20	107	0.4
Winnebago 323	117	0.4
LaSalle-Peru Twp. 120	88	0.7
Prairie-Hills 144	187	0.4
Geneva 304	367	Zero
Herscher 2	126	Zero
Manteno 5	160	Zero
Bourbonnais 53	160	Zero
Bradley 61	103	Zero
Bradley Bourbonnais 307	114	Zero
Momence 1	88	Zero
Yorkville 115	329	Zero
Plano 88	154	Zero
Oswego 308	827	Zero
Streator 44	132	Zero
Ottawa 141	140	Zero
Ottawa 140	102	Zero
Glenview 34	343	Zero
Zion 6	177	Zero
Grayslake 46	266	Zero
Elmwood Park 401	181	Zero
Libertyville 70	159	Zero
North Shore 112	374	Zero
HSD 113 Highland Park	249	Zero
Grant 124	91	Zero
Zion-Benton 126	156	Zero
Evanston 65	547	Zero
Grayslake 127	187	Zero
Meridian 15	64	Zero
Mt. Zion 3	133	Zero
Edwardsville 7	480	Zero
Alton 11	467	Zero
Macomb 185	130	Zero
McHenry 15	282	Zero
McHenry 156	158	Zero
Nippersink 2	92	Zero
Columbia 4	111	Zero
Waterloo 5	166	Zero
Hillsboro 3	114	Zero
Meridian 223	113	Zero
Illinois Valley Central 321	139	Zero
Carbondale 165	76	Zero
Carbondale 95	105	Zero
Riverton 14	85	Zero
Auburn 10	90	Zero
Pawnee 11	47	Zero
Panhandle 2	35	Zero
Sullivan 300	75	Zero
Centralia 135	93	Zero
Litchfield 12	83	Zero
Harlem 122	505	Zero
Granite City 9	617	Zero
Princeton 115	86	Zero
Princeton 500	43	Zero
Bond County 2	120	Zero
Duquoin CUSD 300	101	Zero
Rocton 140	102	Zero
Rochelle Twp. HSD 212	71	Zero
Rochelle CCSD 231	131	Zero
Byron 226	127	Zero
Oregon 220	104	Zero
Farmington Central 265	85	Zero
Porta 202	75	Zero
River Bend 2	71	Zero
Red Bud 132	73	Zero
Sparta 140	105	Zero
Southwestern 9	107	Zero
Staunton 6	87	Zero
Gillespie 7	81	Zero
Hamilton County 10	83	Zero
Midwest Central 191	85	Zero
Tuscola 301	86	Zero
West Carroll 314	99	Zero
Oakwood 76	64	Zero
Hoopeston 11	94	Zero
Westville 2	80	Zero
Beardstown 15	98	Zero
El Paso-Gridley 11	99	Zero
Murphysboro 186	137	Zero
Monticello 25	111	Zero
Paris-Union 95	74	Zero
Mt. Vernon Twp. 210	80	Zero
Mt. Vernon 80	109	Zero
Jasper County 1	101	Zero
Steger 194	128	Zero
Calumet City 155	77	Zero
North Boone 200	116	Zero
CCSD 93 Carol Stream	294	Zero
East Maine SD 63	254	Zero
Lockport Township HS 205	205	Zero
Above Teachers Total	82,981

First he said he would.

Governor Pat Quinn, that is.

Amtrak speeding through Greenfield Village near Detroit.

That was in Rockford.

Then, Quinn said he was going to re-study whether Amtrak should go through Genoa instead.

And, he’s decided to run it through Genoa.

Not Huntley, where Quinn’s first announcement said it would run.

Lots of folks in Genoa, don’t you know?

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady favored the McHenry County route.

The northernmost route has been selected by Governor Pat Quinn. It runs through Huntley, Union and Marengo on the way to Belvidere. Probably because of the Chrysler train traffic, the track is welded to Belvidere, making faster trains possible than through the unwelded Genoa route Amtrak recommended when it was talking about putting up some money.

I had this great idea for a follow-up story to my Saturday article about Amtrak’s coming to southern McHenry County.

What if the Illinois Railroad Museum offered its station to serve Amtrak passengers on the line that Governor Pat Quinn just designated to run through Belvidere?

So, I called the Museum’s Executive Director Nick Kallas, who was in California, to ask him,

“What if…?”

“Our station is actually ADA,” he told me, but he wasn’t as enthusiastic about the idea as I was. “But, it’s wooden.”

“Our station is in Union,” he said. “That’s not exactly the population center of McHenry County.”

He talked of the time rail service connected Galena to Chicago:

“When they used to run the Galena train, it was into Chicago in the morning and back to Galena in the evening.”

Kallas pointed out that today, “Once you get to Galena, you don’t have a car. That’s fine for a day trip”

Right across the levy from the Galena Train Station is the Galena Winery.

The “but” was what do you do after you walk around Downtown Galena.

Eagle Ridge Resort guest rooms. Note the magnolia tree is in bloom. Its flowers popped last week while we were staying there.

I didn’t mention the shuttle that Eagle Ridge Resort runs to town. Now it takes people who arrive by car, but it could just as well take train passengers to the resort. Amtrak passengers wouldn’t be limited to a day trip.

Amtrak train moves slowly through Downtown Springfield, Illinois.

Kallas looked at the bigger picture:

“Once Amtrak starts running the route, that might stimulate Metra to come out. It might accelerate Metra service to Huntley and Marengo.

“Huntley has already sited a station,” he observed.

The Illinois Railway Museum was part of the coalition that helped convince Governor Quinn to select the McHenry County route.

“We’re actually a part of that Blackhawk initiative. We actually gathered 35 pages of petition signatures (for the Belvidere route.)

When Amtrak dropped the funding of the track, it became strictly a state initiation.

The Metra track and Union Pacific track to Belvidere is all welded track. The old route (through DeKalb County’s Genoa) is not. (I don’t see that difference in this DeKalb Chronicle article, which has lots of negative comments about Quinn’s decision.)

“The real thing is that there’s more population,” Kallas said.

“And the North side of Union Station is underutilized compared to the South side (from which the DeKalb County route would have run).

“So, it has many advantages,” he continued.

“This route makes more sense from the standpoint of the population served and we’re hoping that it will help to accelerate the efforts to bring Metra to Huntley and Marengo.”