McHenry County Blog

Since 1974 when Downtown Chicago business interests financed the referendum to impose taxes on the suburbs to subsidize the CTA, promises have been made that there would be a “Universal Pass.”

If something was promised 38 years ago and has not been delivered yet, why would anyone believe that the “powers that be” want people to have a more or less seamless public transportation system?

The answer is pretty obvious.

It is not in the self-interest of the “players” to have one.

May 29, 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times said RTA Chairman John Gates thinks a universal mass transit pass might be available if the CTA, RTA and Pace were combined. That would, of course, give Chicago complete control of the operation.

The billboard message that ticked Jack Franks off.

I’ve written previously of State Rep. Jack Franks’ personal motivation for going after Metra and RTA board members, but let me remind readers that Metra Board member Jack Schaffer owns Liberty Outdoor, the company that puts up small billboards favored by politicians and Al Jourdan still is active in McHenry County Republican politics.

Neither favor having Jack Franks represent McHenry County in Springfield or Washington.

Specificity ticking off Franks this past fall was one billboard on Route 47 going into Woodstock.

On the trip from Chicago to Crystal Lake this engine got a snow facelift. It is beginning its reverse trip Downtown.

With that background, it is still possible for a piece of legislation motivated at least in part to make trouble for political enemies to serve a solid public purpose. Few would argue that Metra could use a bit more oversight.

Franks guided State Senator Susan Garrett’s Senate Bill 3965 through the Illinois House. It passed the House 92-21-1, the Senate 53-3. (The “No” votes in both the houses came from Downstate Republicans. All local legislators voted for the bill.)

Wonder Lake Pace bus on Route 47 in Woodstock.

And, even though Franks did not support Governor Pat Quinn in the primary election, Quinn put Franks’ name in his press release. (Good move on Quinn’s part.)

The bill “brings oversight of the regional transit boards under the jurisdiction of the Executive Inspector General and Executive Ethics Commission,” the press release announced.

After noting the sponsorship, the release further explained that the legislation “requires each regional inspector general to submit a monthly report to the Executive Inspector General which will outline, among other things, the agency’s reported complaints, as well as investigation status and outcomes.

“The Executive Inspector General will work to detect and prevent fraud and mismanagement at all levels of the transit agencies…Senate Bill 3965 has an effective date of July 1.”

CTA Repid Transit crossing the Chicago River.

Let me augment that summary by showing you the bill summary legislators saw:

• 

  Jack Franks

  Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2011, the Executive Inspector General has jurisdiction over all board members and employees of the Regional Transit Boards and all vendors and others doing business with the Regional Transit Boards to investigate allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, misconduct, nonfeasance, misfeasance, malfeasance, or violations of the Act.

• Requires the board of each Regional Transit Board to designate an ethics officer. Authorizes Regional Transit Boards to hire an Inspector General to receive complaints and conduct investigations in accordance with an ordinance or resolution adopted by the Board.
• Authorizes the Executive Inspector General to disclose otherwise confidential information to an Inspector General appointed or employed by a Regional Transit Board.
• Specifies additional duties for the Executive Inspector General.
• Details the responsibilities of Inspectors General appointed or employed by a Regional Transit Board, which include, among other things, the filing of monthly activity reports with the Executive Inspector General.
• Provides that, in specified portions of the Act: “appointee” and “officer” include a person appointed to serve on the board of a Regional Transit Board and “employee” and “State employee” include a full-time, part-time, or contractual employee of a Regional Transit Board.
• Defines “Regional Transit Boards” and “board members of Regional Transit Boards”.
• Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act to provide that a member of the Chicago Transit Authority may be removed by the Governor in response to a summary report issued by the Executive Inspector General provided he or she has an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel prior to removal.
• Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act to provide that directors of the Regional Transportation Authority and members of the Suburban Bus Division and Commuter Rail Division may be removed by the Governor in response to a summary report issued by the Executive Inspector General, provided that they have an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel prior to removal. Effective July 1, 2011.
• Provides that within 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a Regional Transit Board must notify the Executive Ethics Commission of (rather than “or”) any person serving on that date as an Inspector General for the Regional Transit Board.

Missing from Quinn’s press release is his newly-enacted power to remove Metra, RTA, CTA and Pace board members.

Also missing is that board members could be removed for “nonfeasance.”

So, if you have ethical complaints about any mass transit agency, there soon will be a way to get more people to look at them now.

Previously McHenry County Blog has looked at the questions on the Healthy Communities 8,000 household survey concerning

• Parks & Recreation and
• Citizen Desires for More Services

Today we look at the transportation questions:

TRANSPORTATION

37-39. If you were to choose the highest priorities for spending McHenry County transportation funds, which THREE would you choose? (Mark only three)

(1) Improving existing highways by widening and/or upgrading intersections.

(2) Building or extending a limited access (possibly interstate) highway through the county.

(3) Adding and improving pedestrian paths, sidewalks and bike paths.

Slide of the location of the proposed Ridgefield Metra Station presented to the Crystal Lake City Council by Executive Director Phil Pagano.

(4) Establishing new train stations, increasing frequency of service and commuter parking.

(5) Improving car and van pooling to major work destinations.

Taxis at Crystal Lake Train Station.

(6) Expanding a subsidized taxi, van voucher program.

Where the CVS Pharmacy sits on Radow Road was annouced to be a bus station and park and ride facility for those using Randall Road in times past. The only park and ride lot near McHenry County sits north of the Wisconsin state line on Route 12.

(7) Creating more and improved “park and ride” sites for buses to Cook, Kane, Lake sites including Metra.

(8) Establishing scheduled bus service among major McHenry County communities.

Scheduled PACE bus on Thompson Road east of Wonder Lake.

(9) Expand on-call PACE transit, Dial-a-Ride

(10) Other (write in)

Can’t wait to see the answers to these questions. I do wonder where the question molders think McHenry County government is going to find enough money to build an interstate highway. And, where they would put it. There is one existing four-lane right-of-way. It’s what I first heard called the “Bunny Expressway.” In McHenry County it runs from east of McHenry between McHenry and Johnsburg, up west of Richmond to meet the Wisconsin interstate that goes to Lake Geneva.

This is the highway that rumor has it Arlington Park Racetrack owner Marge Everett bought land west of Richmond in the late 1960′s (secret land trust, don’t you know?) for a new track.

Without consulting local state legislators (at least those of us who were state representatives), McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Al Jourdan got this FAP420 designated a part of the Illinois Toll Highway Authority system when the Will County extension was approved. All McHenry County legislators voted against his plan.

McHenry County Blog has some thoughtful thinkers.

One has posted the comment below under the last article.

Grafton Township Board, from left to right, Trustees Gerry McMahon, Betty Zirk, Rob LaPorta, Barb Murphy and Superviosr Linda Moore.

Certainly people are talking about abolishing Grafton Township.   Two trustees have told me that might even favor the idea. I found one at last night’s meeting who had inquired how to do it by petition and referendum.

Grafton Township Road Commissioner confers with his attorney Pat Coen about how to unwind the deal that had the Road District buy the township hall in order to find money to build a new township hall on Haligus Road. Now, at least Trustee Gerry McMahon wants to keep the money, have township voters who attend the April 13th Annual Meeting legally authorize the purchase of the Haligus Road property from the Village of Lake in the Hills, then sell that land, using both sources of money to buy and remodel a vacant building to house township offices other than the Road District's. Township electors on April 13th will have the last word. The effort would nullify any results from the court-order referendum this fall about proceeding with the new $3.5 million *over $5 million with interest) township hall

I asked Road Commissioner Jack Freund how abolishing the township would affect his operation.

His basic answer was that it wouldn’t. That’s because the Road District is a separate municipal corporation.

And the Assessor’s Office?

Well, someone has to do the work. It might end up under county jurisdiction. After all, the County Supervisor of Assessments is charged with assessing all property.

What would happen to Assessor Bill Ottley and his employees?

Since Ottley has the most uniform assessments in McHenry County (the last time I looked), he would undoubtedly head up the operation.

Where would the office be?

Probably right where it is or in some other area space rented by the county. Ottley could probably even find a great deal in this economy.

Another possibility occurs to me.  The bill I sponsored back in the 1970′s to create the office of Multi-Township Assessor could be modified to allow for the election of such an official from a neighboring township, plus Grafton Township.  An analysis by then-Algonquin Township Assessor Forrest Hare convinced me that bad (defined as having a large margin of error) assessments were much, much more likely to occur in townships with less than 5,000 people than those larger.  The reason, I believe, is that larger townships could afford a full-time assessor.  I guess the still existing township board would handle the bill paying and oversight functions.

Then, there’s the other services that Grafton Township provides.

For starters, people should know that virtually all such services were permitted by law at the request of township officials trying to justify their existence.

Townships have only three mandated functions:

• Maintaining some local roads
• Assessing property
• Administering General and Emergency Assistance

All the rest are add-ons.

However, let’s say bus service for seniors and the handicapped is considered by the community to be necessary.

I would note that senior bus service is provided by the Road Commissioner in Algonquin Township. The same could happen in Grafton Township, if Freund were amenable to the idea.

Gus Philpott, in his Woodstock Advocate, suggests there may be a much cheaper way to provide transportation services to seniors and the disabled. Subsidize taxis and handicapped equipped vans. Or subsidize PACE, I would add.

Since most of the service is provided Huntley residents, the village itself could even assume the responsibility.

Bingo can be run by any entity. The same with helping with handicapped vehicle hangers and handing out batteries for hearing aids.

The food pantry is already off on its own. The subsidies of the past are over, if not accounted for.

The General and Emergency Assistance is minimum. I believe one of the last year’s of former Grafton Township Supervisor John Rossi’s administration is was about $12,000. I guess the area would operate the same way the one-third of Illinois counties do now. There are no townships in Southern Illinois.

Compare that to the $16,000 in legal bills for Ancel, Glink last month.

When would the township go out of business if such a referendum were put on the ballot and passed?

I can’t tell you. I think I remember some provision that says elected officials serve out their terms.

Too much from me. Here’s the reader comment:

“Dear” Grafton Township Elected Officials and “Hired” (more like appointed) Employee(s),

The money you are so droolingly intent on spending for Your WANTS not NEEDS is OTHER PEOPLE’S money.  It’s not your private little world and check book.  It doesn’t matter if you are taxing $5 or $200 dollars, you are still taxing.

Stop trying to grow what some people consider a no longer needed layer of govt. BIGGER.  In Grafton, it would make sense to allow other govt. entities to absorb most or all of what Grafton does.

There are plenty of places for bingo, food pantires, meeting rooms, yada yada yada and they are spread across Grafton Township – not just in Huntley.  Certain types of transportation services can be worked out with local Taxi companies eliminating the need to own vehicles/buses, pay for gas, labor, insurance, upkeep, schedulers, etc.

If you absolutely MUST MUST MUST have Grafton Township’s name on such things instead of cooperating with others, then RENT them.  The events would still be called Grafton Township Bingo but it doesn’t require a multi million dollar building and loan interest.  I repeat, it’s far cheaper than a multi-million building and loan interest.

Trying to recreate the wheel and sliced bread in this case sure seems to be  ego driven.  The way it’s being handled reminds me of Washington DC/Chicago tactics.

NOTE:  Huntley isn’t a small place anymore.  Have the elected and “hired” people not noticed? Perhaps when it was small, there was a dream in someone’s mind to make the Township more important, provide missing services, and so on.  That was then.  ”We” aren’t living in “then” anymore.  Grafton Twp. elected officials and “hired” employees, are YOU still living in the “then” in the “dream”?  If so, as one movie character once succinctly said “Snap out of it!”

Is someone looking to have their name engraved on a room, a program, ………….a political ballot?

I made what I thought was a pretty simple request of PACE, the suburban bus company which also runs paratransit in the City of Chicago because the CTA is too incompetent to do so.

Looking for how high the subsidies are in McHenry County, I asked for

“Cost and subsidy per ride per route and Dial-a-Ride service provider covering any part of McHenry County for the latest year available.”

I also asked that

“any charge be waived in the public interest, that public interest being McHenry County residents have a public interest in knowing how their tax dollars are spent.”

This story is about the request for waiver of fees.

When postage was 42 cents per ounce, I got a reply saying that if I would send 25 cents Freedom of Information Officer Thomas Ciecko, who is apparently also the PACE general counsel, would send me the answer to my FOI inquiry.

Does it strike anyone but me a bit weird that a tax-supported agency would spend 42 cents to collect a quarter?

Actually, they would have to use one 42 cent stamp and one 44 cent one.

Cost-benefit analysis seems to be a foreign concept to this RTA subsidiary.

And, it cost more than a 42 cent stamp…unless the general counsel’s secretary has nothing better to do than to send me a letter asking for the quarter.

I thought I sent in the money and, after a month or so, I called to find out where the piece of paper was.

Peggy Sweeney told nothing had been received, so I sent a 25 cent check, wondering how much it costs PACE to process a payment.

I wonder if PACE is asking for more money from the Regional Transportation Authority.

And, my request wasn’t fulfilled, so I’ve left a message with PACE asking why.

That’s how legislators representing McHenry County voted on the bill to increase the RTA sales tax from one-quarter of one percent to three-quarters of one percent.

The two state senators–Pam Althoff and Bill Peterson–and the three state representatives–Mark Beaubien, Jack Franks and Mike Tryon—all voted against House Bill 656.

Here’s my estimate of the annual cost.

And, of course, Governor Rod Blagojevich has announced his intention to break yet another campaign promise.

That’s how legislators representing McHenry County voted on the bill to increase the RTA sales tax from one-quarter of one percent to three-quarters of one percent.

The two state senators–Pam Althoff and Bill Peterson–and the three state representatives–Mark Beaubien, Jack Franks and Mike Tryon—all voted against House Bill 656.

Here’s my estimate of the annual cost.

And, of course, Governor Rod Blagojevich has announced his intention to break yet another campaign promise.

Click on the ad the Chicago Transit Authority spend oodles on in Chicago’s newspapers and you will see what CTA riders will have to pay to get to and from work.

How does it compare with what you have to pay?

It looks like $6 a day on a rapid transit train and $5 per day, if you take a bus.

Get a monthly pass, however, and the cost is $84. With twenty working days a month, that seems to be about $4 a day, assuming one doesn’t use bus or train service any time else during the month.

What do you pay to get to work each month?

When you fill up your motor vehicle with gas, how much does it cost?

Do you have to fill it up at least twice a month?

Do you have car payments?

Even if you don’t, there is obviously depreciation on your car as you use it.

Just wondering.

Is keeping CTA, Metra and Pace fares down worth it to have your RTA sales taxes tripled from one-quarter of one percent to three-quarters of a percent,
even if half of the increase is going to be given to the McHenry County Board to spend improving the roads of its choice?

Just wondering.

It’s going to cost the average McHenry County family about $200 a year if the CTA bailout bill is passed.

And for those reading from outside the Chicago metropolitan area in Illinois, part of your share of the sales tax will be ripped off. In that Governor Rod Blagojevich’s spokeswoman is correct.

The Metra engine is pulling into Crystal Lake’s train station from Chicago. The Pace buses are on Bull Valley Road at the McHenry spur’s grade crossing.

Click on the ad the Chicago Transit Authority spend oodles on in Chicago’s newspapers and you will see what CTA riders will have to pay to get to and from work.

How does it compare with what you have to pay?

It looks like $6 a day on a rapid transit train and $5 per day, if you take a bus.

Get a monthly pass, however, and the cost is $84. With twenty working days a month, that seems to be about $4 a day, assuming one doesn’t use bus or train service any time else during the month.

What do you pay to get to work each month?

When you fill up your motor vehicle with gas, how much does it cost?

Do you have to fill it up at least twice a month?

Do you have car payments?

Even if you don’t, there is obviously depreciation on your car as you use it.

Just wondering.

Is keeping CTA, Metra and Pace fares down worth it to have your RTA sales taxes tripled from one-quarter of one percent to three-quarters of a percent,
even if half of the increase is going to be given to the McHenry County Board to spend improving the roads of its choice?

Just wondering.

It’s going to cost the average McHenry County family about $200 a year if the CTA bailout bill is passed.

And for those reading from outside the Chicago metropolitan area in Illinois, part of your share of the sales tax will be ripped off. In that Governor Rod Blagojevich’s spokeswoman is correct.

The Metra engine is pulling into Crystal Lake’s train station from Chicago. The Pace buses are on Bull Valley Road at the McHenry spur’s grade crossing.

At least $18 million will be picked out the pockets of McHenry County shoppers every 12 months if the General Assembly passes the half percentage point RTA-Road Sales Tax Hike.

To put that in perspective, $207 million was collected in sales taxes throughout the county this past year. So, the proposed sales tax increase would hike sales taxes 8.7%.

(Yesterday, I estimated the increase would be at least 7.6% and pointed out how a local newspaper was helping the RTA to raise taxes with its headline. That calculation was based on using the tax rates. This one
uses actual dollars.)

If only the 89,403 households paid the tax, it would amount to $231 a family. But, since businesses pay some sales tax, the figure per household will actually be less.

Maybe you won’t care.

That’s certainly what the legislators behind this tax hike are hoping.

If the legislation becomes law, the Regional Transportation Authority will get another $9 million. About $100 per McHenry County family.

Almost half of the RTA’s McHenry County $9 million will go to the Chicago Transit Authority, according to Kevin Craver’s Northwest Herald article.

And the county board will get the same amount–$9 million–to spend, apparently as it wishes, on roads it wants to improve. That’s almost twice as much as $4.6 million collected in McHenry County Motor Fuel Taxes this past year.

The county board just decided to borrow $50 million to improve roads. If the $9 million per year were similarly bonded, an extra, what, almost $100 million could be spent on roads.

County board members might not even have to take the heat for raising the taxes…unless the legislators decide to require them to approve the tax hike. (Rockford recently passed a sales tax hike to pay for roads.)