Effective Tax Rates in McHenry County

The only way to compare property tax burdens is to divide one’s property tax bill by the value of one’s home. That’s what the Chicago Tribune did in November of 2015. The effective tax rates found for McHenry County towns … Continue reading

Hebron Mayor Arrested on Drug Charges

This week will be one residents of Hebron will remember. This morning the Northwest Herald in its new tabloid format highlighted the Alden-Hebron School Board’s agreeing to buy a new 80-acre school site from former School Board member Daniel Walters, … Continue reading

Dirty Hebron Cop Gets Four Years

A press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office: FORMER HEBRON POLICE OFFICER RYSZARD KOPACZ SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS FOR AGGRAVATED POSSESSION OF STOLEN FIREARMS AND OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Ryszard Kopacz, 32, of … Continue reading

McHenry County Home Values Rising

“The median home value in McHenry County is $184,300,” according to the web site Zillow. “McHenry County home values have gone up 3.1% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will rise 2.9% within the next year. “The median … Continue reading

Comparing City & Village Tax Takes

Yesterday, we took a look at what school districts requested to be collected last year and this year. Today we’ll look at municipalities. A number of McHenry County municipalities overlap into adjacent counties. If you see “McH only,” that is … Continue reading

Connecting the Population Decline Dots

Its too early to suggest that the photo here represents the future of McHenry County, but with population being down in McHenry County since 2010, while being up in all the other Chicago-area counties, it could be that the County … Continue reading

Income Tax Revenue Sharing Loss Would Cost McHenry County Governments $16.9 Million

The McHenry County Council of Governments (McCOG) has calculated how much money each village and city in the county would lose in state subsides should Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget recommendations be enacted. The Govenror suggests cutting the subsidy in half. … Continue reading

Candidates for McHenry County Cities and Villages

I’ve finally pinned down all who are running for municipal office in cities and villages having all or part of their boundaries within McHenry County. The names have been listed in ballot order.  That makes little difference unless there are … Continue reading

Filings for Municipal Office

Here’s my best effort to find out who filed for village and city offices in McHenry County’s thirty municipalities. Most who didn’t file last week probably waited until late Monday afternoon. Why? Best place on the ballot is first.  With … Continue reading

Crystal Lake’s Hikes Taxes Almost 10%–More Than Any Other City or Village

Municipal elections were last spring.  The next ones are not until next spring. Perhaps that explains why the City of Crystal Lake decided to hike taxes so much this year–a non-election year. There will go up 9.8%. McHenry, on the … Continue reading

Concealed Carry Instructors in McHenry County

The Illinois State Police has the following McHenry County residents listed as approved concealed carry instructors: Name City Phone Email Trost, Paul Huntley (847)287-8411 paultrost@gmail.com Jones, Michael Hebron (815)759-1900 mjones@mc.net Jonak, Johann Cary (512)644-7023 Johann@Windycitytactical.com Danielowski, Ronald Island Lake (847)452-0951 … Continue reading

Sheriff’s Department Freedom of Information Games

It was the discovery of more marijuana growing in the Hebron area in a press release issued by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department that reminded me of the August 2008 and August 2009 discoveries of three pot fields, some of … Continue reading

Another Hebron Pot Plot

A press release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department: Outdoor Cannabis Grow Operation McHenry County Sheriff’s Office announced today the seizure of approximately 2,000 cannabis sativa plants from a wooded area in unincorporated Hebron, Illinois. On May 11, 2013, Sheriff’s … Continue reading