McHenry County Blog

Congressmen call it “earmarks.”

Illinois legislators call it “member initiatives.”

If it’s in someone else’s part of the country or state, people commonly call it “pork.”

Whatever you call it, here is what Crystal Lake State Rep. Mike Tryon got inserted into the infrastructure or capital budget this year. The bill has not yet been signed.

• Grafton Township – road improvements, $125,000
• Lakewood – road improvements, $200,000
• Crystal Lake – water and sewer, $100,000
• Nunda Township – non-dedicated road program, $175,000
• Algonquin Township – non-dedicated road program, $250,000



• Lake in the Hills – park improvements, $100,000
• Cary Park District – park improvements, $75,000
• Lakeside Legacy – restoration and improvements, $75,000
• Fox River Grove – infrastructure, $50,000

So, Tryon was not the legislator to allocate $75,000 to every township road commissioner.

Since it includes all 17 townships and State Senator Pam Althoff represents all of part of each township in McHenry County, my guess is that it is she, but Althoff declined to specify what she inserted into the budget. She said she would once the bill was signed.

Jack Franks, who has made a career of handing out big checks, has not publicized 2009 state grants public.

The bill in question has major financing coming from neighborhood slot machines where liquor is sold.

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

The source of the spiffy pamphlet supporting passage of the sale of the part of Hoffman Park that fronts on Route 31 has been discovered.

The part which the park board is seeking to sell lies where we had the little ceremony when it was announced that the park would be named for farm owner Hoffman in exchange for a lower price. If was a couple of hundred feet from this sign, back near the barn.

It’s also where the announcement was made that $400,000 of state money would be provided. That was my share that year of what legislative leaders euphemistically call “member initiative” money, but most people call “pork.”

The State Board of Elections reports that Scott Hamann of 1073 Acron Way in Cary is responsible for the $2,000.09 that it cost. That total includes his in-kind professional services.

Hamann is obviously a big supporter of the park district, evidenced not only by the campaign piece, but by the fact he ran for the Cary Park Board last year, losing by just two votes.

The Route 14 sign above doesn’t advocate voting for the referendum and is on park district property. It was put up by the Cary Park District and directs folks to information about the referendum. It points to this on the internet.

The source of the spiffy pamphlet supporting passage of the sale of the part of Hoffman Park that fronts on Route 31 has been discovered.

The part which the park board is seeking to sell lies where we had the little ceremony when it was announced that the park would be named for farm owner Hoffman in exchange for a lower price. If was a couple of hundred feet from this sign, back near the barn.

It’s also where the announcement was made that $400,000 of state money would be provided. That was my share that year of what legislative leaders euphemistically call “member initiative” money, but most people call “pork.”

The State Board of Elections reports that Scott Hamann of 1073 Acron Way in Cary is responsible for the $2,000.09 that it cost. That total includes his in-kind professional services.

Hamann is obviously a big supporter of the park district, evidenced not only by the campaign piece, but by the fact he ran for the Cary Park Board last year, losing by just two votes.

The Route 14 sign above doesn’t advocate voting for the referendum and is on park district property. It was put up by the Cary Park District and directs folks to information about the referendum. It points to this on the internet.

Crystal Lake State Rep. Mike Tryon passed House Bill 4765 this week.

118-0.

That’s everybody voting for it.

That probably means it’s not objectionable, but, considering the Democrats control everything, what bill sponsored by a Republican that is controversial is likely to pass?

What’s the bill do?

It requires the Department of Central Management Services to maintain a web site called the “Illinois Accountability Portal.”

It’s a short bill, so I’ll just reprint it below:

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 405-335 as follows:

(20 ILCS 405/405-335 new)

Sec. 405-335. Illinois Accountability Portal. To establish and maintain a website, known as the Illinois Accountability Portal, with a full-time webmaster. The website shall provide direct access to each of the following:

(1) A database of all current State employees and individual consultants, sorted separately by name, agency, and position title, listing for each their current pay rate and year-to-date pay.

(2) A database of all current State expenditures, sorted separately by agency, category, customer, and Representative District.

(3) A database of all current State tax credits, sorted separately by tax credit category, customer, and Representative District.

(4) A database of all revocations and suspensions of State occupation and use tax certificates of registration and all revocations and suspensions of State professional licenses, sorted separately by name, geographic location, and certificate of registration number or license number, as applicable. Professional license revocations and suspensions shall be posted only if resulting from a failure to pay taxes, license fees, or child support.

(5) A database of all current State contracts, sorted separately by contractor name, awarding officer or agency, contract value, and goods or services provided.

It sounds a bit like Republican United States Senator Tom Coburn’s bill which Barack Obama got passed in Washington to track pork.

On, almost forgot. They call such line items “earmarks” in Washington.

In Springfield they are called “member initiatives”…like the $250,000 I got for Home of the Sparrow in the late 1990’s to buy a home in Crystal Lake. (So, Crystal Lakers, you can help out without even leaving home.)

Locally, State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) jointly sponsored the bill. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) and Ron Wait (R-Belvidere) were among the co-sponsors.

= = = = =
The photo of State Rep. Jack Franks on the left talking to State Rep. Mike Tryon on the right was taken at the budget hearing the two, plus State Senator Pam Althoff, held at McHenry County College on March 19th. The pig’s snout was taken south of the Wisconsin border town where House Speaker Mike Madigan sometimes takes his granddaughter to lunch. The waitresses refer to him as “that Illinois state representative,” not “Speaker.”

Crystal Lake State Rep. Mike Tryon passed House Bill 4765 this week.

118-0.

That’s everybody voting for it.

That probably means it’s not objectionable, but, considering the Democrats control everything, what bill sponsored by a Republican that is controversial is likely to pass?

What’s the bill do?

It requires the Department of Central Management Services to maintain a web site called the “Illinois Accountability Portal.”

It’s a short bill, so I’ll just reprint it below:

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 405-335 as follows:

(20 ILCS 405/405-335 new)

Sec. 405-335. Illinois Accountability Portal. To establish and maintain a website, known as the Illinois Accountability Portal, with a full-time webmaster. The website shall provide direct access to each of the following:

(1) A database of all current State employees and individual consultants, sorted separately by name, agency, and position title, listing for each their current pay rate and year-to-date pay.

(2) A database of all current State expenditures, sorted separately by agency, category, customer, and Representative District.

(3) A database of all current State tax credits, sorted separately by tax credit category, customer, and Representative District.

(4) A database of all revocations and suspensions of State occupation and use tax certificates of registration and all revocations and suspensions of State professional licenses, sorted separately by name, geographic location, and certificate of registration number or license number, as applicable. Professional license revocations and suspensions shall be posted only if resulting from a failure to pay taxes, license fees, or child support.

(5) A database of all current State contracts, sorted separately by contractor name, awarding officer or agency, contract value, and goods or services provided.

It sounds a bit like Republican United States Senator Tom Coburn’s bill which Barack Obama got passed in Washington to track pork.

On, almost forgot. They call such line items “earmarks” in Washington.

In Springfield they are called “member initiatives”…like the $250,000 I got for Home of the Sparrow in the late 1990’s to buy a home in Crystal Lake. (So, Crystal Lakers, you can help out without even leaving home.)

Locally, State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) jointly sponsored the bill. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) and Ron Wait (R-Belvidere) were among the co-sponsors.

= = = = =
The photo of State Rep. Jack Franks on the left talking to State Rep. Mike Tryon on the right was taken at the budget hearing the two, plus State Senator Pam Althoff, held at McHenry County College on March 19th. The pig’s snout was taken south of the Wisconsin border town where House Speaker Mike Madigan sometimes takes his granddaughter to lunch. The waitresses refer to him as “that Illinois state representative,” not “Speaker.”

16th District Congressman Don Manzullo has sent out a press release outlining items for McHenry County that are in the recently passed omnibus budget bill. Water and roads were his priorities.

These were not listed in U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s list:

Congress Approves $545,000 Manzullo Secured to Help
Ease Congestion, Protect Water in McHenry County
(WASHINGTON) The U.S. House and Senate this week approved an appropriations bill that includes funding to extend Algonquin Road west of Huntley and help implement a program to ensure abundant and safe drinking water for McHenry County residents and prevent catastrophic floods. The President has stated he will sign the bill into law within the next two weeks.

The funding was included in the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill Congress approved this week. The McHenry County projects secured by Manzullo include:

• $295,000 to help implement the McHenry County Groundwater/Stormwater Protection program. More than 100 representatives of local governments, private interest groups, and interested citizens helped form a countywide task force earlier this year that is helping to implement the program, created to improve water quality and quantity as McHenry County continues to develop.
• $250,000 to help extend Algonquin Road west of Huntley. The 2.7-mile-long project will extend Algonquin Road west from Route 47, cross Marengo Road and intersect with Harmony Road at Brier Hill Road just west of the Huntley High School campus. The federal funds would be used to design a grade-separated highway structure over the Union Pacific Railroad as part of the road project.

“McHenry County is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, which is why thousands of new residents flock to the area each year,” Manzullo said.

“With this growth comes tremendous pressure on McHenry County’s infrastructure and natural resources. I sought and secured this federal funding because I know the county’s ability to relieve traffic congestion, provide groundwater to its residents, and prevent catastrophic floods is essential to McHenry County’s future and the comfort of generations to come.”

16th District Congressman Don Manzullo has sent out a press release outlining items for McHenry County that are in the recently passed omnibus budget bill. Water and roads were his priorities.

These were not listed in U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s list:

Congress Approves $545,000 Manzullo Secured to Help
Ease Congestion, Protect Water in McHenry County
(WASHINGTON) The U.S. House and Senate this week approved an appropriations bill that includes funding to extend Algonquin Road west of Huntley and help implement a program to ensure abundant and safe drinking water for McHenry County residents and prevent catastrophic floods. The President has stated he will sign the bill into law within the next two weeks.

The funding was included in the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill Congress approved this week. The McHenry County projects secured by Manzullo include:

• $295,000 to help implement the McHenry County Groundwater/Stormwater Protection program. More than 100 representatives of local governments, private interest groups, and interested citizens helped form a countywide task force earlier this year that is helping to implement the program, created to improve water quality and quantity as McHenry County continues to develop.
• $250,000 to help extend Algonquin Road west of Huntley. The 2.7-mile-long project will extend Algonquin Road west from Route 47, cross Marengo Road and intersect with Harmony Road at Brier Hill Road just west of the Huntley High School campus. The federal funds would be used to design a grade-separated highway structure over the Union Pacific Railroad as part of the road project.

“McHenry County is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, which is why thousands of new residents flock to the area each year,” Manzullo said.

“With this growth comes tremendous pressure on McHenry County’s infrastructure and natural resources. I sought and secured this federal funding because I know the county’s ability to relieve traffic congestion, provide groundwater to its residents, and prevent catastrophic floods is essential to McHenry County’s future and the comfort of generations to come.”

One of former State Rep. Doug Hoeft’s pet causes was PADS.

Helping the least of God’s people, as Jesus admonished us all to do.

The Elgin legislator got significant money put in the budget for a facility.

He died before it could be built.

Earlier this month, I noticed an article about the budget item, but with the name of a new state senator, Michael Nolan, attached to it.

Somehow, I doubt that Hoeft cares, but I imagine the lack of inclusion of his name in the article caused some pain for his family.

Doug, by the way, told one of my supporters who lived in his district that I was “the most influential and the least influential” state representative in Springfield.

I wonder if he was thinking of the attack piece that I presented to our House GOP caucus the day we discussed Governor Jim Edgar’s proposed income tax hike (a variation of the tax swap that he savaged Dawn Clark Netsch for proposing in 1990) for the first half of his characterization.

I can imagine his thinking of my being the last Republican to pass a bill in 1995, after we had taken control of the Illinois House for only the second term of my service in Springfield.

That was the spring Maureen Murphy and I tried our hardest to pass a bill that would require testing of mothers for HIV. With such a test, the infection rate for babies with an HIV-mother could be cut dramatically.

We lost because we took the Republicans on the committee for granted.

We assumed that they would follow the facts.

Too many did not.

One of former State Rep. Doug Hoeft’s pet causes was PADS.

Helping the least of God’s people, as Jesus admonished us all to do.

The Elgin legislator got significant money put in the budget for a facility.

He died before it could be built.

Earlier this month, I noticed an article about the budget item, but with the name of a new state senator, Michael Nolan, attached to it.

Somehow, I doubt that Hoeft cares, but I imagine the lack of inclusion of his name in the article caused some pain for his family.

Doug, by the way, told one of my supporters who lived in his district that I was “the most influential and the least influential” state representative in Springfield.

I wonder if he was thinking of the attack piece that I presented to our House GOP caucus the day we discussed Governor Jim Edgar’s proposed income tax hike (a variation of the tax swap that he savaged Dawn Clark Netsch for proposing in 1990) for the first half of his characterization.

I can imagine his thinking of my being the last Republican to pass a bill in 1995, after we had taken control of the Illinois House for only the second term of my service in Springfield.

That was the spring Maureen Murphy and I tried our hardest to pass a bill that would require testing of mothers for HIV. With such a test, the infection rate for babies with an HIV-mother could be cut dramatically.

We lost because we took the Republicans on the committee for granted.

We assumed that they would follow the facts.

Too many did not.