McHenry County Blog

From

Report released by U.S. Senators Tom Coburn and John McCain yesterday.

Summertime Blues

100 Projects to Give Taxpayers the Blues

Senator Tom Coburn speaking at last year's Family PAC Cruise.

Senator John McCain at his 2008 pre-primary rally in Addison.

Today, United States Senators Tom Coburn and John McCain released “Summertime Blues,” a compilation of

“100 Stimulus Projects that Give Taxpayers the Blues during the Summer of Recovery.”

The introduction of this third in a series of publications starts like this:

“When Congress passed the $862 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, otherwise known as the stimulus bill, it passed with assurances that it would stem the loss of American jobs and keep the economy from floundering. As most can see, it hasn’t.”

McHenry County’s SportsPlex made number 67 on the list.

67. If Government Builds it, They Will Come . . .We Hope

(Lakewood, IL) – $18 million

Local officials in Lakewood Village (pop. 3,050) recently approved plans for a $40 million sports complex by a unanimous vote in the hopes of bringing in up to $500,000 in annual tax revenue from hosting local, national, and even international sports events. FN425 The complex, spanning over 165 acres will feature 17 lighted baseball fields, seven soccer fields, an indoor soccer dome, an arena for basketball, an extreme sports park for skating and BMX competitions, a gas station, and a 125,000 square foot building for a restaurant and retail facilities – all of this using $18 million of bonding authority granted to McHenry County from the stimulus bill. FN426 That portion of the money has been described as both “only a start-up mechanism” and a “bridge loan.” FN427

McHenry County Blog's photo is in the report, but there isn't a credit line.

Not so fast, say the neighboring residents whose lives will be affected by the proposed facility. The most recent public meeting of the Lakewood Village trustees drew enough attendees to fill the room, the standing-room behind the chairs, and standing room into the hallway. FN428 A local blogger who attended observed that “besides the consultants, village officials and staff, most in attendance were people objecting from the neighborhood.” FN429

Concerns raised included traffic, light pollution, noise, water quality, and utility bills. Following the meeting, Village Trustee Ken Santowski wrote an e-mail to residents justifying his vote, arguing that “…the village would only lose face if the project fails…” FN430 He went on to say “This project is far from a done deal.” FN431 Perhaps Mr.
Santowski is the only one who sees it that way – the Continental Amateur Baseball Association (which calls itself “the greatest show on dirt”) is already trying to attract teams with a video “flyover” of the planned facility, calling it the “new CABA complex.” FN432

Several residents came away from the recent meeting frustrated. Tom Balboney of a nearby subdivision said “we feel all of this was done behind our backs,”FN433 and Larry Larson, long time resident, summed it up for the local newspaper: “It stinks…if they had to use their own money, they wouldn’t do it.” FN434

= = = = =
The footnotes follow:

425 Bustos, Joseph. “Lakewood village board OKs special use permit, preliminary plan for sports complex.” Northwest Herald. July 28, 2010. Accessed July 30, 2010.
426 Resolution allocating Recovery Zone Volume Cap and approving a project for McHenry County Sportsplex LLC for the purposes of the American Recovery and Reinvestment tax Act of 2009. McHenry County, IL, Finance and Audit Committee Agenda, April 13, 2010. Accessed July 30,2010.
427 McHenry County Blog. “Lakewood Approves McHenry County Sportsplex.” July 28, 2010.
Accessed July 30,
2010.
428 Bustos, Joseph. “Lakewood village board OKs special use permit, preliminary plan for sports complex.” Northwest Herald. July 28, 2010. Accessed July 30, 2010.
429 McHenry County Blog. “Lakewood Approves McHenry County Sportsplex.” July 28, 2010. Accessed July 30, 2010.
430 McHenry County Blog. “Lakewood Village Trustee Gives View of Sportsplex Meeting.” July 29, 2010.  Accessed July 30, 2010.
431 McHenry County Blog. “Lakewood Village Trustee Gives View of Sportsplex Meeting.” July 29, 2010. Accessed July 30, 2010.
432 CABA website.  Accessed July 30, 2010.
433 McHenry County Blog. “Lakewood Approves McHenry County Sportsplex.” July 28, 2010.
434 Sroka, Diana. “Residents near planned $40 million sports complex not happy.” Northwest Herald. July 29. 2010.  Accessed July 30, 2010.

I guess that’s not much of a surprise, but one of my readers felt strongly enough to send me McCain’s email, which follows:

My Friend,

Next year, Illinois voters will have the opportunity to elect a new U.S. Senator. The people of Illinois deserve a Senator who will restore honest government, strengthen our national security, fight for veterans and bring fiscal discipline to Washington.

Mark Kirk has my strongest endorsement and I hope to welcome him as a colleague in the Senate in the near future.

Mark has served honorably in the United States Congress since 2001. During his time in Congress, he has been a consensus builder and worked tirelessly to support our troops, veterans and the citizens of the State of Illinois.

As a Commander in the United States Navy Reserve, Mark has served his country with distinction in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and Bosnia. During his tenure in Congress, Mark deployed to Afghanistan in December 2008. His firsthand knowledge of our military and his service in the Middle East makes him an unparalleled leader in Congress on these important issues.

Mark shares our values, the same vision for America’s future, and works relentlessly to stop the budget-busting, big government agenda. He is the kind of valued leader that we need in the Senate who will work to find the common sense solutions the people of Illinois expect to see from their leaders.

I hope you will join me in supporting Mark Kirk’s campaign for U. S. Senate by following this link to make a donation of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more before December 31st. Any amount you can give up to the $2400 legal limit will help his campaign as they approach their primary election in February.

His potential Democrat challengers are well-funded. The national Democratic Party does not want to lose Barack Obama’s former Senate seat. And they will do whatever it takes to keep control of this seat. So I hope you will take a moment today to support his campaign by giving as generously as you can.

Thank you for your support and I wish you and your family a happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. I have been honored and humbled to have your support in the past, and I hope Mark Kirk can count on you to help him win what will be a competitive campaign. Please follow this link to make an immediate contribution to help Mark Kirk’s campaign start 2010 with as much financial strength as possible.Thank you.

The friend of McHenry County Blog who forwarded this to me had these comments:

“Mark Kirk shares our values and will face a competitive campaign.”

SHARES OUR VALUES?

Not any voter that I know, here in Illinois!

Pass this far and wide, and invite your contacts to contact John McCain and tell him how wrong he is.  Remember, he lost the election last year, we now have a loser telling us to vote for a loser?  I don’t think so!

Kirk:

• voted against the troop surge in Iraq;
• received an F- from the NRA; 1
• 100% rating from Planned Parenthood;
• against traditional marriage;
• voted for Cap and Trade

… these among other liberal voting records of Mark Kirk.

Maybe McCain doesn’t know Kirk’s voting record, and that WE THE PEOPLE have had enough!

And, I’m not talking about Democrat John Kerry and his Iraq War votes.

I’m talking about our current President, Barack Obama.

And the subject?

Pork.

When anti-pork Republican John McCain became Obama’s opponent, Obama started becoming anti-pork, too.

What would McCain do if Congress sent him a pork-laden bill?

Veto it.

What did Barack Obama do when Congress sent him a pork-laden bill?

Then, he signed it.

What courage.

As I have said before, politicians should be judged on what they do, not what they say.

Not to worry, a retired high school social studies teacher told me at lunch. A small percent of the total.

“A rounding error,” I observed to be polite.

It turns out it was $7.7 billion for pork in a bill of $410 billion.

1.9%–a bit more than a rounding error.

= = = = =
Below is the list of what Illinois Congress folks got in this year’s budget,the one just passed and signed only about six months after the beginning of the fiscal year. The earmarkers are listed in descending order from highest to lowest dollar amount of pork projects.

• Dick Durbin, 48 projects totaling $35,577, 250
• Ray LaHood, 23 earmarks totaling $8,774,250
• Rahm Emanuel, 10 earmarks totaling $6,523,000
• Jerry Costello, 12 earmarks totaling $5,425,175
• Dan Lipinski, 12 projects totaling $4,451,172
• Melissa Bean, 10 earmarks totaling $3,687,314 (one in McHenry County)
• Bill Foster, 12 earmarks totaling $3,095,000
• Danny Davis, 10 earmarks totaling $3,066,014
• Tim Johnson, 8 earmarks totaling $2,806,100
• Jesse Jackson, Jr., 15 earmarks totaling $2,783,500
• Peter Roskam, 12 earmarks totaling $2,655,330
• John Shimkus, 13 earmarks totaling $2,421,750
• Bobby Rush, 8 earmarks totaling $2,073,375
• Don Manzullo, 6 earmarks totaling $2,070,500 (one in McHenry County)
• Phil Hare, 7 earmarks totaling $2,031,000
• Jan Schakowsky, 8 earmarks totaling $1,644,000
• Luis Gutierrez, 2 earmarks totaling $760,000
• Jerry Weller, 7 earmarks totaling $1,243,250

$47.8 million in total.

Eschewing pork were Republicans Judy Biggert and Mark Kirk.

Three retired members, Rahm Emanuel, Ray LaHood and Jerry Weller get credit for projects anyway.

Newly elected Congress folks Debbie Halvorson and Aaron Shock were not listed.

Neither was newly-appointed United States Senator Roland Burris.

= = = = =
Pork articles that have appeared this year in McHenry County Blog follow:

Illinois Pork in the Commerce, Justice and Science Budgets

Illinois Defense Department Pork

Homeland Security Pork in Illinois

Return of Planetarium Pork

Ray LaHood Tucks $90,000 Bandstand Renovation in Congressional Budget

Pork Where You Might Expect It – in the Agriculture Budget

Illinois Earmarks for Interior, Environment Bills

Illinois Comes Out on Short End of Military Pork

Illinois Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Congressional Earmarks – Part 1

Illinois Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Congressional Earmarks – Part 2 – Dick Durbin’s

Illinois Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Congressional Earmarks – Part 3

Illinois Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Congressional Earmarks – Part 4

Illinois Corps of Engineers Pork

The Illinois Congressional Pork Report

Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 1

Dick Durbin Biggest Illinois Porkster

Dick Durbin’s Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 2

Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 3

Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 4

Earmarks in the Health & Human Services and Labor Budgets – Part 5

Building bridges.

That’s what it seemed to be about after Barack Obama was sworn in as president.

After Obama was sworn in, he and his wife Michelle took their leave with Laura and George W. Bush on the Capitol steps.

As the Bush entourage took off in their helicopter, the new president, vice president and their wives waved good-bye.

Obama’s chosen hatchet man Rahm Emanuel smiled and shock hands with the fallen Republican standard bearer John McCain.

The Era of Good Will will continue until those of us on the losing side of the presidential election read of the Executive Orders that Obama will quickly sign.

Building bridges.

That’s what it seemed to be about after Barack Obama was sworn in as president.

After Obama was sworn in, he and his wife Michelle took their leave with Laura and George W. Bush on the Capitol steps.

As the Bush entourage took off in their helicopter, the new president, vice president and their wives waved good-bye.

Obama’s chosen hatchet man Rahm Emanuel smiled and shock hands with the fallen Republican standard bearer John McCain.

The Era of Good Will will continue until those of us on the losing side of the presidential election read of the Executive Orders that Obama will quickly sign.

This depiction of John McCain and Sarah Palin was found in the McHenry County Republican Headquarters on Route 14 in Crystal Lake at the old Pauly Toyota dealership building.

It says,

McCain is ready to draw his six shooter and Palin is holding a rifle.

In the foreground one can see a skinny guy with big ears.

This depiction of John McCain and Sarah Palin was found in the McHenry County Republican Headquarters on Route 14 in Crystal Lake at the old Pauly Toyota dealership building.

It says,

McCain is ready to draw his six shooter and Palin is holding a rifle.

In the foreground one can see a skinny guy with big ears.

Actually, there are more than two signs in the Burma Shave-like signs posted by the Champaign County Rifle Association.

I have never been able to get them all in one pass.

This photo was taken just before the election.

You can seen the final sign from Guns Save Lives.com.

And, if you look at the left hand side of the photo, you can see a John McCain for President sign.

Monday I heard people calling a conservative talk show host talking about their fear that Barack Obama with the Democrats in complete control of all things Washington, but the U.S. Supreme Court, would be after people’s guns.

Is it “Red Dawn” time in America.

No, wait.

“Red Dawn” had the Russians taking away our gun

Actually, there are more than two signs in the Burma Shave-like signs posted by the Champaign County Rifle Association.

I have never been able to get them all in one pass.

This photo was taken just before the election.

You can seen the final sign from Guns Save Lives.com.

And, if you look at the left hand side of the photo, you can see a John McCain for President sign.

Monday I heard people calling a conservative talk show host talking about their fear that Barack Obama with the Democrats in complete control of all things Washington, but the U.S. Supreme Court, would be after people’s guns.

Is it “Red Dawn” time in America.

No, wait.

“Red Dawn” had the Russians taking away our gun

Without early voting totals folded into the results, Barack Obama was leading John McCain by one percentage point.

After adding those early votes in, Obama’s lead leaped to 5.3 percentage points: 51.75% to 46.45%.

House Speaker Mike Madigan will have some explaining to do for his refusal to reinstate the straight party voting that Republican House Speaker Lee Daniels killed the ability to punch one hole and vote for every on the ticket.

Had straight party voting been in effect, there might have been more victories down the ticket.

As it stands now—with the Democratic Party-dominated early voting included in the totals—Democrats have picked up two county board seats.

Lake in the Hills village trustee Paula Yensen beat McHenry County Board Vice Chairman John Jung.

McHenry County Democratic Party Chair Kathy Bergan Schmidt turned out Nick Provenzano.

Both men were strongly supported by Pro-Life forces in McHenry County.

64th state representative Democratic Party candidate Robert Kaempfe got more Democratic primary votes than Mike Tryon received in the Republican primary last spring.

But Kaempfe could not convert that seeming advantage to victory. Instead the spread was almost 23 percentage points.

Democratic Party candidate for coroner, the only countywide Democrat who actually had his name on the ballot, also got more Democratic Party primary votes than incumbent Republican Marlene Lantz.

That did not convert to a close fall race.

Lantz got over 60% of the vote.

I am sure local Democrats will wonder what would have happened had there been straight party voting.

The countywide candidate who came closest to losing was McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer.

She got almost 58% of the vote.

55% is considered a landslide.

Running best was McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi. He almost got 62% of the vote in his re-election campaign. The possibility that the hotly contested primary election with Dan Regna would hurt his re-election chances against former Democratic Party Chair Tom Cynor did not materialize.