McHenry County Blog

It’s a beautiful Saturday with people out raking leaves, taking leisurely walks and talking to neighbors.

And, I’ve been knocking on doors trying to convince people to vote against Jack Franks’ referendum to create a County Executive form of government.

The argument with which I am having the most success is pointing out that a County Executive would be able to spend up to $25,000 without prior County Board approval.

Hey, we live in Illinois. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to envision abuses under such rules.

I even chafe when the McHenry County College Board spends up to $25,000 without going out for bid (allowed by a state law I did not vote for). I cringe to think of the potential abuses with no bids and no board approval.

In any event, when I went to the mailbox, I found two mailings from McHenry County Board Chairman and candidate for re-election in my District 2.

The first was addressed just me.

It was for senior citizens.

When did that happen?

In any event, the address side has a headline about “Fighting for Senior Healthcare in McHenry County!”

What’s that all about, I’m thinking as I look at it.

There is a big headline on the back of the piece and a letter is teeny tiny print to U.S. House Speaker John Boehner opposing cuts in the Federal Medicare program.

I think it’s a stretch to use the issue in a county campaign, just as it is a stretch for Mike Madigan to use the issue four times (that I’ve published) on behalf of Independent Dee Beaubien.

There is also a sticker indicating that Koehler was endorsed by both the Northwest and Daily Heralds.

The second mailing was in an envelope from Pro-Life leader Irene Napier.

It came First Class, too.

Along with the letter came the same palm card that was enclosed with the pro-gun mailing.

Republican candidate for State Representative David McSweeney are invited to breakfast at D’Andrea’s at the corner of Route 14 and 31 in Crystal Lake on Saturday.

Doors open at 8:30.

Details are below:

The law is still on the books, but, as they say in the movies, the contents are on the cutting room floor.

The bill was originally passed using money from the new 2 1/2% income tax by Governor Richard Ogilvie.

As I was running for State Representative for the first time in 1972, I could recognize a good program and a good issue when I saw one.

In his campaign, Ogilvie was running ad of a senior couple getting into a Model T Ford.

As they drove off, one could see an Ogilvie re-election sticker on the metal bumper.

After taking office, I noted that the Circuit Breaker has been budgeted $28 million and all of it had not been spent.  I assume lots of seniors and disable persons did not know about the program, so did not apply for benefits.

The Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, a U.S. government agency since abolished, figured out what percentage of people’s income in each state went for property taxes.

I believe it was 2 1/2% for Illinois homeowners.

I thought that a fair benchmark.

Seniors were complaining about being taxed out of their homes.  This was a means-tested program that, with enough funding, could make retired folks pay the same percentage of their incomes as those still on the payroll.

I did an analysis and calculated how much the benefit levels could be increased using just the originally-budgeted $28 million.

The bill passed the House.

Undoubtedly House Speaker W. Robert Blair wanted to keep what he considered an independent reformer happy.

When we got to the Senate Committee Terrel Clarke was Chairman of the Senate Revenue Committee.

I handed out the report which documented why we could afford to increase benefits without budgeting more money.

Clarke said he had never seen such a presentation and the bill flew out of the Republican-controlled committee.

It subsequently passed and was signed into law by Governor Dan Walker.

In Dave McKinney’s Saturday Chicago Sun-Times story, he points out that only $24 million was going for property tax relief last year.

Now, it is zero thanks to Governor Pat Quinn and those legislators who voted for the budget this year.

= = = = =

At some point renters were included in the program.  Rational I guess, because rent most assuredly includes property taxes.

During the first term of Governor Jim Thompson, I managed to pass another bill to increase benefits because participation remained lower than projected.

The Circuit Breaker got hijacked by the Democrats and turned into a senior citizen prescription drug subsidy program.

I guess they figured that subsidizing drugs was more politically beneficial than subsidizing property taxes.

A press release from the Grafton Township Supervisor:

Village of Huntley to Vote on Agreement with Grafton Township for Senior Transportation

Supervisor Linda Moore is pleased to announce that the Village of Huntley will be voting on the Intergovernmental Agreement with Grafton Township that provides a grant of $10,000 towards the Senior Transportation Program which serves residents of Grafton Township and the Village of Huntley.

The Village Attorney has reviewed the agreement and found everything to be in order for consideration at this time.

The Village Staff Analysis Report shows that ridership has increased. [See pages 48-52.]

Rutland Township riders have increased from 1,373 in 2010 to 2,000 in 2011.

Overall rider activity has increased from 3,337 in 2010 to 4,041 in 2011 increasing the overall total ridership revenue from $4,141 in 2010 to $4,770 in 2011.

The amount the Village will pay is the same as the 2011 Intergovernmental Agreement.  [That's $10,000.]

Tonight the Village Board Members will vote on a resolution to approve the execution of the 2012 Agreement.

Supervisor Linda Moore, on behalf of the Grafton Township Board, would like to thank the Village of Huntley for their continued support of the senior transportation program.

To find out more about this transportation program, visit www.graftontownshipsupervisor.us or call the office at 847-669-3328. Registration is required before the first ride can be scheduled.

Signs like the one you see above are all over Springfield this past weekend.

Illegally posted, but why should those opposing budget cuts follow the law anymore than political candidates do.

Commenting on the McHenry County Board’s decision to send a conflict of interest waiver to the Federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development, District 2 Democrat Jim Roden made the following comments:

“I can’t believe what just happened.

“17 people on the County Board think that HUD can make a better decision about who should or should not get county money.”

“The County Board’s role in the matter is little more than relaying the request to HUD…because members were uncomfortable with vouching for the accuracy of information in the proposal,” Roden quotes an article in the Northwest Herald by Kevin Craver.

“Are you saying you can’t vouch for information about people in your own back yard?

“You want some outside government agency to do it?

“ARE YOU NUTS?

“This is our county!

“Oh, and by the way, who keeps the $13,000 for the feasibility study either way?

“Guess!

“This is one of the reasons I am running for The County Board.”

The issue is whether there is a conflict between Ken Koehler’s being Chairman of the McHenry County Board and his son’s being Executive Director of the McHenry County Attainable Housing Corporation, which has asked for a $13,000 planning grant for a senior citizens facility in McHenry.

Citing an appearance of a conflict of interest, Wonder Lake’s John Hammerand said, “It cheapens the county board in many ways,” according to the Daily Herald story by Elena Ferrarin..

Votes against the resolution were cast by

• Randall Donley
• Diane Evertsen
• John Hammerand
• Donna Kurtz
• Ersel Schuster

All are Republicans.

A press release from State Rep. Kent Gaffney:

Kent Gaffney to Host Senior Identity Theft Seminars

Barrington, IL…State Representative Kent Gaffney (R-Lake Barrington) will be hosting a series of events bringing together experts in the field of identity theft from the Illinois Attorney General’s office to provide information on how those nearing or in retirement can protect themselves from financial predatory schemes.

Too often scam artists perceive senior citizens as vulnerable and wealthy due to the ability to access retirement finances, and are thus targeted at a higher rate,” said Gaffney. “These speakers will provide an educational presentation on ways you can recognize situations that pose the risk of identity theft as well as what to do once you are already a victim.”

The “Silver Beat” events will be held Monday, October 3^rd throughout the 52^nd Representative District and are open for the public to attend. Further Details are as follows:

• What: Silver Beat
• When & Where: 10:00 a.m. – Noon, Barrington Park District,  235 Lions Drive, Barrington, IL 60010
• When & Where: 1:00p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Algonquin Township, 3702 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
• Who: State Representative Kent Gaffney in conjunction with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office

For more information, contact Kent Gaffney at (847) 487-5252.

McHenry County Blog has some thoughtful thinkers.

One has posted the comment below under the last article.

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.

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?

Credit my Google search for “Jack Franks” name for this story.

I wrote how the Illinois Department of Aging, now in charge of the Senior Citizen and Disabled Person Property Tax Relief program, was cutting benefits in half.

The cutback takes total benefits back to the level distributed in the early 1970′s, when I was closely watching the program in my first eight year stint in Springfield.

Today, a story in the Murphysboro American reports on a meeting of State Rep. Jack Franks’ House Government Administration Committee.

It seems that having taken control of the Circuit Breaker program from the Revenue Department that Aging Department officials have decided that they have to have those 38 ex-Revenue folks sitting right next to the other 140 employees.

The solution?

Take them out of the two state-owned buildings and put them in rented office space that will cost over $3 million over five years.

But, not to worry, the landlord, Springfield’s Charles Robbins (who was around when I was campaign manager for failed mayoral candidate Denny Kelley in 1971), will cut the price from $662,000 a year to $532,000 a year the first twelve months.

Well, we can certainly see the priorities of the Department of Aging:

Employees first; seniors later…if we don’t spend it all on the employees first.

Almost forgot.

Since Jack Franks’ name in the article led me to this story, it’s appropriate for me to tell you what he thinks of the idea.

As he put it succinctly,

“Absolutely ridiculous.”

That’s what Pat Quinn’s Department of Aging put in the Circuit Breaker forms being mailed out to seniors and the disabled.

That’s what I learned in Sunday’s article by Daniel T. Zanoza of Republicans For Fair Media.

Here’s the announcement on the departmental web site:

NOTICE: In past years, the Department on Aging has been able to issue Circuit Breaker grants at the maximum allowable amounts. However, the state budget for fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010) did not fund the Circuit Breaker program at those levels. In order to continue to provide the Circuit Breaker grant benefit to older adults and persons with disabilities on and after July 1, the Department made the difficult decision to cut each grant awarded in half. This decision based on budgetary cutbacks cannot be appealed.

Thank you for your understanding.

That’s what happens when the General Assembly moves a program out of a big department—the Revenue Department—to a little one—the Department of Aging.

Revenue might have been able to find money elsewhere, but no Aging…at least not while keeping everyone on the payroll.

And, that’s what Illinois government is all about, isn’t it?

Let me note that when I was running for State Representative in 1972, the circuit breaker real estate tax relief program was being pushed by the Richard Ogilvie administration. The 2 1/2% income tax had been imposed in 1969 and money was pouring in so fast that Ogilvie couldn’t spend it all.

So, he allocated $29 million for the program.

It the program has only grown to $40 million (before being cut in half by Governor Quinn), it certainly has not kept up with inflation.

My first year in office, I figured out that the entire $29 million had not been spent.

That’s because not everyone eligible for benefits had applied.

So, I figured out how much the benefits could be increased without spending more than $29 million, wrote a report explaining what I wanted to do and introduced a bill.

It passed through the Illinois House—as did 11 other of my bills, more than any other freshman state rep—and took it to the Senator Revenue Committee, chaired by Terrel Clarke of Western Springs.

He was impressed with the presentation and the bill got out of committee, passed the Senate and was signed.

At the time, Pat Quinn was a patronage employee in Dan Walker’s Department of Local Government Affairs.

Now, under his leadership, the property tax relief is about what it was in 1972 before I passed the bill to increase benefits. I would not that property taxes have not decreased.