McHenry County Blog

I’m looking at campaign disclosure reports on the “Most Recent Reports” page of the Illinois State Board of Elections and there’s a string of $1,296 contributions to each GOP countywide candidate.

The cost for each to the Illinois Republican Party is reported to be $1,296. The mailing is coming from Buford, Georgia, of all places.

Not only is Lou Bianchi, the GOP candidate for State’s Attorney getting that amount, but Phyllis Walters, the Republican candidate for Recorder of Deeds is credited with a similar contribution from the Illinois Republican Party.

And the same amount to Katherine M Keefe, the GOP candidate for Circuit Clerk.

Same for Pam Palmer, the County Auditor, who is running for re-election.

I think I am seeing a pattern.

Total cost – $6,480.

I think it is for the joint mailing I wrote a story on Friday. That’s where you can read the “Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Local Republicans.”

For our next look at the McHenry County Monopoly game that was introduced from a Cleveland, Ohio, mail house, we’ll look at two cards, one from COMMUNITY CHEST, the other from the CHANCE card pile.

One of the COMMUNITY CHEST and one of the CHANCE cards are flipped over on the Democrats Monopoly board.

The COMMUNITY CHEST card says,

That’s cute, but not really biting, because no new offices but the health department-animal control center in Crystal Lake have been opened in the last two years.

Considering how much that was attacked two years ago, I’m surprised there was no follow-up.

The CHANCE card is interesting.

The Get Out of Jail Free card, which is shown face up, says,

Think this one was vetted by an attorney?

Think the Democratic Party will print up this game and sell it?

If so, a copy would certainly end up in the McHenry County Historical Museum in Union.

One final thought.

Wouldn’t it be something if Cook County Republicans could run a similar campaign?

For our next look at the McHenry County Monopoly game that was introduced from a Cleveland, Ohio, mail house, we’ll look at two cards, one from COMMUNITY CHEST, the other from the CHANCE card pile.

One of the COMMUNITY CHEST and one of the CHANCE cards are flipped over on the Democrats Monopoly board.

The COMMUNITY CHEST card says,

That’s cute, but not really biting, because no new offices but the health department-animal control center in Crystal Lake have been opened in the last two years.

Considering how much that was attacked two years ago, I’m surprised there was no follow-up.

The CHANCE card is interesting.

The Get Out of Jail Free card, which is shown face up, says,

Think this one was vetted by an attorney?

Think the Democratic Party will print up this game and sell it?

If so, a copy would certainly end up in the McHenry County Historical Museum in Union.

One final thought.

Wouldn’t it be something if Cook County Republicans could run a similar campaign?

I’m not sure what the last COMMUNITY CHEST substitution has to do with McHenry County Republicans.

But, what the heck.

This is a political piece and most won’t look at it as closely as I am.

Let’s cut them some slack even though it was the Clinton Administration that pushed for loosening mortgage qualifications.

It has the guy pulling his empty pants’ pockets out again with the message

Where Luxury Tax usually appears are another three monkeys.

This time it says,

Water and air pollution are under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Pollution Control Board, but the McHenry County Health Department did prepare a report that was far less than complete.

Before returning to the “STOP” game starting place, the Democrats have replaced the last CHANCE SPOT with something a bit different

A CHANCE SPOT near Boardwalk and Park Place still has a question mark, but above it is the word

That’s what the advertising piece is designed to push people toward, isn’t it?

Voting Democrat, rather than Republican.

Change.

And between Boardwalk and Park Place is another card with a bag of money.

$5,000 this time.

What’s that?

Who’s it from?

Tomorrow – Part 5 of McHenry County Monopoly – How Is Your Town Ranked by Local Democrats?

I’m not sure what the last COMMUNITY CHEST substitution has to do with McHenry County Republicans.

But, what the heck.

This is a political piece and most won’t look at it as closely as I am.

Let’s cut them some slack even though it was the Clinton Administration that pushed for loosening mortgage qualifications.

It has the guy pulling his empty pants’ pockets out again with the message

Where Luxury Tax usually appears are another three monkeys.

This time it says,

Water and air pollution are under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Pollution Control Board, but the McHenry County Health Department did prepare a report that was far less than complete.

Before returning to the “STOP” game starting place, the Democrats have replaced the last CHANCE SPOT with something a bit different

A CHANCE SPOT near Boardwalk and Park Place still has a question mark, but above it is the word

That’s what the advertising piece is designed to push people toward, isn’t it?

Voting Democrat, rather than Republican.

Change.

And between Boardwalk and Park Place is another card with a bag of money.

$5,000 this time.

What’s that?

Who’s it from?

Tomorrow – Part 5 of McHenry County Monopoly – How Is Your Town Ranked by Local Democrats?

Today we look at the third side of the McHenry County Monopoly board.

Where the second CHANCE space usually appears after FREE PARING. the same man with his hands pulling out his pockets.

The Dems could have done something with Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% city sales tax hike that took effect on July 1st.

No ballot box vote was required because Crystal Lake is a “Home Rule” unit and its ordinances generally are as important as state law because of that special status that can only be challenged by passing a petition seeking a vote on whether to repeal Home Rule status.

Shepley is an appointed Vice Chairman of the county GOP–for “Community Outreach,” of all things!

That huge sale tax hike went into effect on July 1st.

And, after all, all of the city council members are Republicans.

But they are elected on a non-partisan basis. Maybe that is why the Democrats gave them a pass.

Where the third railroad would be is a third bag of money.

Oh, I get it.

Each board side’s money bag is $500 more than the one before.

The utility just before the regular “GO TO JAIL” has three more monkeys,

One candidate for office, the Democrat’s man for County Coroner, Dave Bachmann, has said he won’t take the authorized raise during the first year, should he win election.

The “Go to Jail” space at the next corner has been replaced with

I would have put the apostrophe after the “S,” but that’s a small quibble.

Tomorrow – McHenry County Monopoly – Side 4

Today we look at the third side of the McHenry County Monopoly board.

Where the second CHANCE space usually appears after FREE PARING. the same man with his hands pulling out his pockets.

The Dems could have done something with Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% city sales tax hike that took effect on July 1st.

No ballot box vote was required because Crystal Lake is a “Home Rule” unit and its ordinances generally are as important as state law because of that special status that can only be challenged by passing a petition seeking a vote on whether to repeal Home Rule status.

Shepley is an appointed Vice Chairman of the county GOP–for “Community Outreach,” of all things!

That huge sale tax hike went into effect on July 1st.

And, after all, all of the city council members are Republicans.

But they are elected on a non-partisan basis. Maybe that is why the Democrats gave them a pass.

Where the third railroad would be is a third bag of money.

Oh, I get it.

Each board side’s money bag is $500 more than the one before.

The utility just before the regular “GO TO JAIL” has three more monkeys,

One candidate for office, the Democrat’s man for County Coroner, Dave Bachmann, has said he won’t take the authorized raise during the first year, should he win election.

The “Go to Jail” space at the next corner has been replaced with

I would have put the apostrophe after the “S,” but that’s a small quibble.

Tomorrow – McHenry County Monopoly – Side 4

In the parts of McHenry County I have been, only one Republican candidate has been invisible.

Long-time county board candidate Virginia Peschke, who can be counted upon to be an independent thinker and actually ran against Ken Koehler for McHenry County Board Chairman, was no where to be seen.

Sure, she ran first four years ago, but Democrat Paula Yensen has been working hard going door-to-door in her end of the district (the more populated Lake in the Hills and Huntley), while there were no reports of Peschke doing anything.

I saw none of Peschke’s pamphlets earlier this month at GOP headquarters on literature distribution day.

Meanwhile John Jung seemed to be working hard.

And, well he should be given the history of extremely negative campaigning by Democrats in District 5.

(See

Picking of Perry – Part 1,
Picking on Perry – Part 2,
Picking on Perry – Part 3,
Perry Takes Another Hit, and
Negative Campaigning Apparently Works.)

Frankly, I expected Jung to bear the brunt of similar negative attacks. I figured he was in the Democrats’ bull’s eye, since women are typically seen more favorably at the polls than guys.

Muddying the waters is the candidacy of Woodstock’s Frank Wedig. He is running on the Green Party ticket.

Today driving down Fleming Road I saw a

“Re-Elect Peschke – McHenry County Board”

sign. After that I saw a few others.

I don’t know if she is going to make a last week mailing to make up for not having given the precinct committeemen anything to pass out.

She certainly should.

Besides Peschke’s signs, I saw one for Yensen, her Lake in the Hills village Trustee opponent. I saw some for Green Party candidate Frank Gedig and yard sign

There were 4X4’s for Peschke’s running mate John Jung near Ridgefield.

In the parts of McHenry County I have been, only one Republican candidate has been invisible.

Long-time county board candidate Virginia Peschke, who can be counted upon to be an independent thinker and actually ran against Ken Koehler for McHenry County Board Chairman, was no where to be seen.

Sure, she ran first four years ago, but Democrat Paula Yensen has been working hard going door-to-door in her end of the district (the more populated Lake in the Hills and Huntley), while there were no reports of Peschke doing anything.

I saw none of Peschke’s pamphlets earlier this month at GOP headquarters on literature distribution day.

Meanwhile John Jung seemed to be working hard.

And, well he should be given the history of extremely negative campaigning by Democrats in District 5.

(See

Picking of Perry – Part 1,
Picking on Perry – Part 2,
Picking on Perry – Part 3,
Perry Takes Another Hit, and
Negative Campaigning Apparently Works.)

Frankly, I expected Jung to bear the brunt of similar negative attacks. I figured he was in the Democrats’ bull’s eye, since women are typically seen more favorably at the polls than guys.

Muddying the waters is the candidacy of Woodstock’s Frank Wedig. He is running on the Green Party ticket.

Today driving down Fleming Road I saw a

“Re-Elect Peschke – McHenry County Board”

sign. After that I saw a few others.

I don’t know if she is going to make a last week mailing to make up for not having given the precinct committeemen anything to pass out.

She certainly should.

Besides Peschke’s signs, I saw one for Yensen, her Lake in the Hills village Trustee opponent. I saw some for Green Party candidate Frank Gedig and yard sign

There were 4X4’s for Peschke’s running mate John Jung near Ridgefield.

We move on to the second side of the Democrats McHenry County Monopoly board game.

Where the first utility would be, two spaces after the jail is another three monkey space.

It says,

I have to admit to not following county government closely enough to know anything about this.

Maybe that means it’s not being seriously considered.

After all, county government doesn’t have that kind of money laying around.

The big money county government is spending right now is on county roads.

Oh, that the Democrats controlling state government would do the same on state highways like Route 31 in McHenry County.

Moving along to the second railroad spot on the Monopoly game we played as kids is another question mark.

It has the same message as the first:

I wonder if all the railroad properties will be a variation on that theme.

Where the second Community Chest space would be, two spaces before the regular game’s Free Parking is another money bag.

Above and below the money bag is

The real game’s corner space, called FREE PARKING, has been changed, too.

Monopoly game’s FREE PARKING becomes

It pictures a candy kiss and has “BIANCHI” (referring to State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi) superimposed on the paper pull tab used to unwrap the foil.

That’s a reprise of the attack made possible by Daily Herald columnist Amy Mack, which was fostered and promoted by then McHenry County Republican County Chairman and still McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew and his primary candidate Dan Regna.

These were among the expenditures about which one of McHenry County State’s Attorney primary challenger Dan Rega’s supporters complained to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Lisa Madigan’s office saw no reason to take any action.

Tomorrow – McHenry County Monopoly – Side 3