Johnsburg Suspends Developer Impact Fees

When McHenry County was the fastest growing county in the United States for three decades, current residents complained loudly (and accurately) that new subdivisions were not paying their own way. The result was the imposition of developer impact fees to … Continue reading

Time for Watchdogs to Run for Office against Cheerleaders

A letter for the editor of the Northwest Herald, reprinted here with permission of writer Stephen Willson of Lakewood: Run for Office Editor: Our government is supposed to be a system of checks and balances. Locally, that means school boards … Continue reading

Johnsburg School District Put on Notice

Johnsburg Unit School District 12 has been put on the Illinois State Board of Education’s “financial watch list” a year ago. Last month the State Board notified the district it would “initiate a proper investigation of [its] financial integrity.” The … Continue reading

Those Interested Enough in Running for School Board to Pick Up Petitions

Petitions for school boards are being handed out by the McHenry County Clerk’s Office this year. Those getting them have an opportunity to sign their names and put other information on a legal pad. You see the results from earlier … Continue reading

Comparing How Schools Spend Our Money, Plus the Richmond-Burton High School Contract Impasse

There is an impasse between the school board and the teachers union in Richmond’s high school district. Each side had to submit the latest version of what it wants to a state web site. The union’s desires can be found … Continue reading

McHenry County Tax Take Up by 1.5% or $12 Million

Last year McHenry County real estate taxpayers were billed $797,419,250.88. This year the McHenry County Clerk’s Office has determined that bills amounting to $809,385,180.76 will be issued. That’s a dollar increase of $11,965,930, a percentage increase of 1.5%. The Property … Continue reading

Taxes That Could Decrease in Huntley, Part of Lake in the Hills and Johnsburg, If People Vote “No”

A press release from Jim Tobin’s Taxpayers United of Illinois: Taxpayers Fight Back on Local Property Tax Increases Chicago – Illinois taxpayers are fighting local tax expansion and increase referenda with the help of Taxpayers United of America (TUA). TUA … Continue reading

“Where Do People Get the Crazy Idea that Once a Tax Increase Is Approved, We’re Stuck with It Forever?”

That’s the question that the Northwest Herald’s Kevin Craver asks in a column. He is referring to referendums put on the ballot by the Huntley Park District and the Johnsburg School District. In the Huntley example, old bonds are being … Continue reading

Campaign Material for Opponents of Tax Hikes in Huntley and Johnsburg

A press release from Jim Tobin’s Taxpayers United of America in which he focuses on the tax hikes proposed by the Huntley Park District and the Johnsburg School District: Taxpayers Fight Back on Local Property Tax Increases Chicago – Illinois … Continue reading

Math Problems at Local High Schools

You can see the data above. But, just to make sure people can use a search engine to find out how well each McHenry County College high school prepares its students who attend McHenry County College in math, I’ll type … Continue reading

McHenry County High School Teacher Salary Data from Sun-Times Data Base

The Chicago Sun-Times released a school teacher and administrator data base this week that some might find interesting. “Salary data includes base, summer-, after-school pay, benefits, vacation- or sick-day payouts, pre-retirement salary bumps. Average includes only full-time employees,” says the … Continue reading

39% of Illinois Teachers Pay Nothing for Pensions

“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.  … Continue reading

Two Homeschoolers Win School Board Posts

That happened four years ago, too, when homeschoolers John O’Neill was elected to the McHenry Grade School Board and John Ryan won a District 300 seat. This year, O’Neill was re-elected without opposition and Steve Rooney won a seat on … Continue reading

Johnsburg High School Board Candidate Steve Rooney Plays for Drama Club Benefit

Johnsburg School District Board of Education candidate Steve Rooney and his band Plan-B played for a fundraiser for the Johnsburg High School Drama Club. Rooney’s two daughters are active members of the club.   Several School Board candidates from surrounding … Continue reading

$3.8 Million in Local School Employee Union Dues of Local School Employees

McHenry County Blog has surveyed school districts with major presences in McHenry County and discovered that union employees paid $3.8 million in dues during calendar year 2010. The total amount was $3,825,572. Contracts are typically for more than one year … Continue reading