Democrats Oppose Jack Franks’ County Executive Referendum

State Rep. Jack Franks may be the leading Democrat in McHenry County, but his support among other Democratic Party activists isn’t sufficient to get other leading Democrats to support his referendum to switch from a weak Executive to a strong … Continue reading

McHenry County Board Members May Have Signaled Intention to “Tax to the Max” Again

Getting as much money out of taxpayers is pretty much the goal of every tax district official, from school board member to township trustee. To do that, boards need to ask for more than the increase in the Cost of … Continue reading

Bob Anderson Wins One – County Board Puts Anti-Double-Dipping Referendum on Ballot

Wonder Lake activist-barber Bob Anderson got a referendum on the November without having to go door-to-door. The question was on an issue upon which Governor Pat Quinn built his political career. Until he had to depend upon double-dippers to advance … Continue reading

County Board Decides Not to Muddy Jack Franks’ County Czar Waters

There was a long debate over whether the County Board should put a referendum on the fall ballot asking voters is they wanted to elect the County Board Chairman in an at-large election. Before that several citizens provided input. District … Continue reading

Emphais on McHenry County Board’s Decision to Tax to the Max Continues to Dominate Northwest Herald Coverage for District 3 Candidates

You may remember that Kevin Craver’s Northwest Herald article about District 2 McHenry County Board candidates focused on the vote to increase the property tax levy by the maximum of 1.5% Cost-of-Living increase allowed by the Real Estate Tax Cap. … Continue reading

Tea Leaves at the Northwest Herald

Maybe it’s not tea leaves. Maybe it’s newspaper clippings to which I should allude. In any event, the first two McHenry County Board endorsement editorials got me thinking. McHenry County’s paper of record has suggested dumping Board Chairman Ken Koehler … Continue reading

Democrats Run Ten Candidates for McHenry County Board

At least one candidate in each McHenry County Board district. The rumor mill was right. An article has already been run on District 1’s Nick Chirikos. In District 2 there are two challengers, Jim Roden and Jim Kennedy. District 3 … Continue reading

Democratic Party Board Candidates – Now There Are Two

With the rumor circulating that the Democrats will file at least one candidate in each of the six McHenry County Board districts, two have now filed petitions with the County Clerk’s Office. The first was newcomer Nick Chirikos from District … Continue reading

Who Voted to Raise Your County Taxes?

The McHenry County Board failed to break with the “increase the tax take as much as possible” crowd, but they came close. Barb Wheeler made the motion to remove the CPI and Nick Provenzano seconded it.   Wheeler is a candidate … Continue reading

McHenry County Board Votes on Salary Hikes

There was “a Scribner’s error” in the county offices’ pay hike resolution some argued.  It passed October 18th. In that first vote, County Board members voted 19-4 to raise County Board salaries to $21,500 per year.  That’s about where all … Continue reading

John O’Neill Holds Fund Raiser

Prairie Isle Golf Club was the site for a Tuesday fund raiser for District 3 McHenry County Board candidate John O’Neill. O’Neill is one of five Republican candidates vying for four slots on the fall 2012 ballot. With incumbent Barb … Continue reading

Lively County Board GOP Primary in District 3 Promised

I missed a good meeting of the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee earlier this month. Besides the main speaker, newly-appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney, other candidates were present to announce their candidacies. McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler was one … Continue reading

McHenry County Board Remaps Itself

In an 18-4 vote, the 24-member McHenry County Board approved a redistricting that was recommended by its Legislative Committee. The four on the minority side of the question were Anna May Miller, who presented an amendment to include all of … Continue reading

McHenry County Board’s Secret Special Prosecutor Meeting Passes AG’s Muster

It couldn’t be characterized as “transparent,” but the secret meeting the McHenry County Board held on Feb. 14, 2011, to discuss legal bills from Special Prosecutor Henry Tonigan doesn’t qualify as “Illegal.’ Former McHenry County Board member Lou Anne Majewski … Continue reading

Status Quo Rules in McHenry County Board Redistricting Comments

A roll call was not taken for the reapportionment straw poll questions asked by McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler. Just a series of hand raising. What you see above is a good indication that the size of the county … Continue reading

Reapportionment Hearing in Marengo

Jack Franks brought colleagues to his home town of Marengo Saturday to the hard-to-find new Marengo High School for a reapportionment hearing whose process will be completely controlled by Democrats in the General Assembly and Governor’s Mansion. To reach the … Continue reading