McHenry County Blog

Here’s what Young Republicans in McHenry County are talking about today in their weekly newsletter:

Warm weather is on its way.  The MCYR is gearing up for the spring and summer events.  Below you will find a list of events and projects that we would love for you to be involved with.

On Thursday, please join us at the Cottage in Crystal Lake from 6-8pm for Happy Hour.  We can’t wait to see you.

Our Membership Co-Chairman Jake Justen is organizing the “Page for a Day” program!

We have been offered the opportunity to join Senator Pamela Althoff in Legislative Session in Springfield! You will be shown the ropes and the work that is done in Springfield.  Two people will be able to register per date, and the Senator and her staff promise a great visit! In addition, families can stay at the Capitol and attend the committee meetings to observe and can sit in the Gallery during Session.  The Page is the only one able to sit on the Senate Floor with the Senator. The only costs associated with this opportunity are the cost of travel, food and lodging.

The following is a dress code for all pages:

You will be issued an identification badge which must be worn at all times while functioning as a Senate Page.  This ID provides you access onto the Senate Floor.
Bring comfortable flat footwear.  Dress shoes, moderately heeled, no tennis shoes or sandals.

Ladies . . . dresses, skirts, or dress slacks are suggested.  Mini-skirts and skorts are restricted.

Gentlemen . . . dress shirt, necktie, and jacket are required (there are some jackets available on the Senate Floor).  Denim jeans are restricted.

Please respond to jakejusten@mchenryyoungrepublicans.com as soon as possible to reserve a place as space is limited. The following dates are available for visitors:

• March 3, 4
• March 16, 18
• March 24
• April 14
• April 21, 22
• April 28, 29

We congratulate Brian Hain on his new appointment to Treasurer.  We will miss Greg Austin – who is leaving us due to career obligations which take him to Virginia.  Having said this, we are looking for a new Fundraising Chairman.  Please contact Bryan Javor at bryanjavor@mchenryyoungrepublicans.com if you are interested in the position.

Current YR logo

We need your creative talent.  We are still looking for a new MCYR logo.  Please send your logos to webmaster@mchenryyoungrepublicans.com by April 12th.  We will vote on the logos at the April General Meeting.  The winner will win a $25.00 gift card to the restaurant of their choice in Crystal Lake.

In closing, Erica Poremba our Vice-Chairwoman thought of a great idea.  Each week we will be highlighting a member of the MCYR.  We are starting with the Chairman.  (Take a look oat McHenry County Blog over the weekend for the interview.)

Bryan Javor, Chairman

Erica Poremba, Vice-Chairwoman

Brian Hain, Treasurer

Garret Hill, Secretary

The following popped into my mailbox yesterday. Since the legislation would allow county boards to impose fees on the sale of homes, I thought folks might be interested in it this memo from the Illinois Association of Realtors:

Illinois Home Buyers to Get Whacked With More Little Fees — This Time for an “Affordable Housing Trust”

On Wednesday the Illinois Senate Local Government Committee approved legislation OPPOSED by the Illinois Association of Realtors.

Senate Bill 3001, sponsored by Senator Susan Garrett would permit all counties the authority to establish an affordable housing trust fund by imposing ANOTHER surcharge on the recordation of any real estate related documents.

Fees would be imposed by ordinance of the county board WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL for the purpose of providing financial support for affordable housing activities for low and moderate income households “as determined by the county board.”

Pam Althoff

The bill grants a county board the authority to impose a charge that begins at $5 in 2010 and 2011 which can be increased up to $10 after 2019.

Voting AGAINST the REALTOR position: Senators Maggie Crotty, Gary Forby, Linda Holmes, Toi Hutchinson, Terry Link and Pam Althoff (emphasis added because of her representation of this area)

Voting WITH the REALTOR position: Senators (Larry) Bomke and (Brad) Burzynski

Sounds like another government boondoggle to me…  Take from the poor homebuyer (or perhaps it will be levied on the seller) and give to Government Bureaucrats with pennies going to some sort of trust that supposedly helps homes be more affordable for someone (who probably shouldn’t be buying in the first place – because they can’t afford it)

Rick Hauser

The only local legislator mentioned is State Senator Pam Althoff.

SIU cash flow as of the end of Feburary. The Fiscal Year started July 1st.

No, this isn’t an article about the money the U.S. Senate voted to spend without any source of revenue to pay for it.

It’s about the Illinois State Senate.

State universities have not been paid money promised in the state budget. It amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars.

The answers of Southern Illinois University, the University of Illinois and, I presume the others, is to ask for authority to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars.

Collateral?

Glad you asked.

The university are going to tell those lending the money that the State of Illinois will pay them back.

With the Illinois budget having been run into the ground by Democrats who have been in control since I ran for Governor in 2002 against Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan, what folks will be optimistic to think state government can repay what it did not pay in the first place.

Of course, the “responsible” Republicans and Democrats are just waiting until after the fall election to hike the income tax, what, 50% or the 67% Senate Democrats supported last year.

Take a look at the roll call of Senate Bill 642, the one passed last week to allow SIU to sell such bonds:

Illinois Senate Roll Call for Senate Bill 642, the bill that would allow SIU to borrow money using unpaid appropriations as collateral.

Locally, it shows McHenry County’s State Senator Pam Althoff voting, “Aye.”

The other county senator, Dan Duffy, voted, “No.”  So did Chris Lauzen, the senator who represents Northern Kane County.

If SB 642 makes it through the legislative process and is signed into law, SIU will be able to borrow up to 75% of the money the state hasn’t paid.

Commenter “Joey” on AlestleLive.com put it well:

“This can be a dangerous move. If the university borrows money, eventually the lender would want to be paid back (with interest, most likely). If the state continues to fall behind and miss payments, then when it comes time to make payments, the university may not have the money to pay them back, forcing them to take money out of other funds, thus just deferring the problem instead of solving it.

“You should never borrow money unless you are certain you’ll be able to pay it back. Since the state is being useless when it comes to providing money it owes, the university likely will not be able to say, with certainty, that it can repay debts on loans.”

In his latest press release, State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) called on colleagues to withdraw all bills that would add to state spending.

State Senator Pam Altoff disagrees with St. Rep. Jack Franks that this is not the time to be introducing bills to increase spending. She introduced House Bill 3583 to provide low interest loans to waterfront property owners to move from sea walls to riprapping or bioengineered shorelines. "There's not necessaily a better time to introduce a new program," she told the North West Herald in a front page story today,

Presumably that would include the Senate Bill 3583, the bill that his McHenry Expo mate and State Senator Pam Althoff introduced that would provide low interest loans to riverfront property owners wanting to repair the sea walls.

Here is the Franks press release:

Springfield, IL – State Representative Jack D. Franks (D-Woodstock) Wednesday released the following statement:

“Illinois continues to face the worst financial crisis in the state’s history. Our budget deficit has reached an unfathomable $13 billion. Yet, we have scarcely uttered the word ‘budget’ since returning to Springfield this year. In effect, we are failing those who elected us. It is time to put an end to the partisan games and stop hesitating at the thought of November’s general election. It is time we demonstrate some leadership from the trenches of state government.

Jack Franks

“I call on each member of the General Assembly to start by withdrawing any bill they have introduced this session that will add to the state’s expenses going forward. This action will not just save the state future monies, it will demonstrate a real willingness to focus on the most basic problem in our state…our fiscal crisis.

“From now until we adjourn in May, or sooner depending on our progress, I propose we focus solely on how to fix the budget.

“Rather than continue delaying this inevitable battle, we should save taxpayers the added expense and frustration of an overtime session and start working on it now. We need fundamental change to business as usual in Springfield and the only way for change to occur is to actively work toward it.

“Tough budget talks were delayed in the recent past because of the February primary.

“Elected members remain afraid to take a difficult stand on the budget because of November’s general election. The people of Illinois want action – brave, precedent-shattering results for the good of our state. Leadership demands this action and the criticism that may come will be nothing like the criticism we will receive by inaction.

“Governor Pat Quinn has returned to his campaign for an income tax increase to help close the budget deficit.

“To that I say, ‘Governor, why not first try a more novel idea than placing the burden on those you have been elected to serve.

“When we produce the FY2011 budget, require it to be zero-based. Force your offices and agencies to justify every line item expense. Allow the budget to be examined with a fine-tooth comb. Exhaust every other potential option to help solve this financial crisis. Only then we can discuss boosting revenue.’”

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When I first noticed the Althoff bill, I figured it was something she would point to as having brought back to McHenry County, should she decide to vote for an income tax increase.

McHenry County Chamber of Commerce Expo Jack Franks' booth.

Alert and astute observers will tell you in the comment section.

This was seen at McHenry West High School at the Chamber of Commerce’s Expo.

Mike Tryon

Happened upon the endorsement of State Senator Kirk Dillard by Crystal Lake’s State Rep. Mike Tryon.

If anything has been made of it, except listing it on Dillard’s web site in a press release announcing that the Sangamon County Republican Party (can’t get much more Establishment than that) was endorsing Kirk, I’ve missed it.

Also listed there is Family PAC right next to the Illinois Education Association. That’s the first time I’ve seen those ideological opponents on the same page.

Found Irene Napier of McHenry County Right to Life, as well. She attended State Senator Pam Althoff’s breakfast at 1776 for Dillard.

McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew has signed up, too.

Jack Franks

And, on Pete Gonigam’s First Electric Newspaper, I discovered that Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks supports State Comptroller Dan Hynes for governor.

No big surprise there.

Franks was willing to hold hearings on Governor Pat Quinn’s “Catch and Release” prisoner program.

Some call it by the “Revolving Door.”

As U.S. House Democratic Party Speaker Tip O’Neill said,

“All politics is local.”

So, I guess that puts McHenry County Blog in the right place for those who want to know about “local.”

That’s what McLean County Pundit reminds readers on its masthead.

State Senator Pam Althoff

Today my mailbox was graced with a large envelope from State Senator Pam Althoff (R-McHenry).

I figured it was an invitation to a fundraiser. A fancy fund raiser. It was about that size. It had a stamp, although now that I look at it closely, it’s probably a bulk mail stamp. (Did you know people are more likely to open a letter, if you put a commemorative stamp on it?)

Anyway the letter wasn’t personalized. It was to

“Dear Republican Neighbor”

That seems to be stretching it a bit since I don’t even know where Pam lives, but politicians take liberties with words like “neighbor.”

People skim letters like this. At least I do.

There’s bold face type to help skimmers figure out what is important.

State Senator Pam Althoff's correspondence supporting State Senator Kirk Dillard for governor.

I see former Governor Jim Edgar’s name first.

Befitting a letter endorsing Kirk Dillard, Edgar’s name shows up twice.

But looking at it again, I see this paragraph:

“The people of Illinois deserve nothing less than a Governor who will put taxpayers first…”

Had to stop there, because my one big beef with Kirk, which I talked to him about at his reception held at his wife’s great-great-great something grandfather and former (first elected in 1865) Governor Richard J. Ogelsby’s and grandmother’s home in Decatur during the last GOP state convention and, more recently, when he came to talk to the ladies at 1776 in Crystal Lake, was his vote to triple the RTA sales tax.  It ill cost McHenry County taxpayers on the order of $9 million a year times three.  And we are the smallest collar county

And, now I see he has the endorsement of the IEA, the Illinois Education Association, for those of you who don’t follow state politics. That the biggest teachers’ union and one does not have to watch state politics too closely to know what they want—higher income taxes.

Anyway, the letter arrived yesterday.

After the Tuesday 1776 breakfast sponsored by State Senator Pam Althoff, GOP gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard answered what I consider “the tough question:”

“Will you sign a pledge not to raise taxes like Andy McKenna did Monday?”

I got a long answer:

“I’ve never voted for a general tax increase in all my years in state government.

“I have no desire to raise taxes.

“My experience is as Jim Edgar’s fiscally conservative chief of staff and the only non-millionaire in the race with school age children.

“I am the candidate that can best hold the line on taxes.

“Moreover, I’ve said I want to reduce billions of taxes to improve our economy.

But speaking with conservative governors like Sam Perdue of Georgia, former Governor John Engler of Michigan and former (Florida) Governor Jeb Bush, these pledges are gimmicks.”

As one who served in the Illinois House of Representatives for sixteen years, I can tell you I never signed such a pledge and still was considered a “tax hawk” or “obstructionist,” if you prefer the description of the tax eaters.

As I understand the pledge it counts fee increases as tax increases. Fees are logically imposed upon regulated industries. The fees should cover the cost of regulation.

Now such earmarked funds are regularly drained to subsidized education and welfare, which means the fees are set too high. However, as wages and other costs increase, it is possible that fees as set would not bring in enough money to pay for the regulation. In such a case I would and have voted to increase fees.

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Other stories about the candidate’s Crystal Lake visit:

Kirk Dillard Woos McHenry County Women

Apparently the leading candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination (according to the Chicago Tribune pollster), Jim Ryan, has called for privatizing the Illinois Tollway.

Actually, I see in the Daily Herald, Ryan wants to sell it.

One of his DuPage County opponents, Kirk Dillard has found my email address (Ryan hasn’t yet) and offers the following reaction seen below.

Dillard, by the way, is coming to Crystal Lake’s 1776 restaurant tomorrow morning from 8-9:30 to meet folks. Complimentary breakfast will be available at the event being hosted by State Senator Pam Althoff.

Dillard’s press release follows:

Dillard Statement on Privatizing the Tollway System

LISLE, Ill- State Senator Kirk Dillard, Republican candidate for governor, today released the following statement regarding Jim Ryan’s support of privatizing the tollway:

“It sounds like Jim Ryan is taking a page out of Rod Blagojevich’s playbook and looking for short-term solutions to the state budget problems.  It’s a risky scheme that threatens motorists, primarily suburban drivers, with massive toll increases and could put current bondholders in jeopardy.

“When other states have privatized their toll roads, tolls have skyrocketed, just like parking meter rates in the city of Chicago. I successfully worked with then State Senator and current Congressman Peter Roskam to protect motorists when Blagojevich tried to do the same thing.

“Let’s not lose site of the fact that suburban drivers have tossed hundreds of millions of nickels, dimes and quarters into the toll baskets for the past 50 years. The only way I would even consider leasing the tollway is if there is a guarantee the money would be used for infrastructure and after consultation with economists, transportation experts and leaders from areas served by the toll roads.”

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Privatizing is not the same as selling a public asset. Privatizing the tollway might make it more efficient. I remember Jim Thompson named one of his State Policeman body guards as his first Tollway director. He started cutting employees and trying to save money and got the boot. Replacing him was Thompson’s chief fund raiser.

State Senator Pam Althoff is hosting a meet and greet for gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard at 1776, Crystal Lake’s best restaurant. (I776 located on Route 14 near the water tower in the park where the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce is located.)

There will be free eats from 8- 9:30 with the state senator, his wife Stephanie and his legislative colleague, McHenry County’s State Senator Althoff.