McHenry County Blog

The founder of Freeport, Illinois, Tutty Baker, who died in 1855, is the pseudonym of a Stephenson County blogger. He calls his publication the Stephenson Blumdoggle.

The blog seems to have been inspired by Stephenson County’s Board Chairman, whose last name is Blum.

John Blum and his county board seem to have put the taxpayers in debt to build an industrial park that has not worked out too well.

Hence, the play on the word “boondoggle,”

Look at the blog's purpose: "An honest source of informed opinion for Freeport and Stephenson County."

Imagine my surprise when I discovered an article about an article about the McHenry County Finance Committee that ran on McHenry County Blog yesterday.

Tutty’s article is entitled,

A Freeport Connection in McHenry County

Here's the book I finished much too late Monday night to make the County Board's Finance Committee meeting.

I was finished a good novel–”Julian Comstock, A Story of 22nd Century America” by Robert Charles Wilson–last night, so didn’t make it to the County’s Administrative Building for the Finance Committee meeting.

But I am interested if the Committee members recommended selling Z Financial two lots in the Village of Wonder Lake with a market value, according to the assessor last year, of over $30,000 for $1,300.

While it probably has no connection, Z Financial gave three multi-thousand dollar contributions to County Treasurer Bill LeFew a couple of years ago.

Tutty suggests that his readers might be interested in looking at the Illinois State Board of Elections pages that show

• contributions from Z Financial and
• contributions from John Zajicek, its owner.

Zajicek is identified as an “investor” in reports made to the state.

I note the Bill LeFew is not the only County Treasurer to whom the company and the man have made contributions.

Largest political contributions made by Z Financial.

Looking at the McHenry County Board’s agenda and committee packet for Tuesday’s Finance Committee meeting, I saw that a Freeport company called Z Financial Illinois G Properties, LLC, is going to be allowed to purchase two parcels for $1,300.

The County seems to be selling property county government has obtained because people didn’t pay their taxes on it.

Not much money involved, but, on a whim, I decided to take a look at campaign contributions.

So, into the Illinois State Board of Elections contributions’ search engine I typed “Z Financial.”

Here’s what popped up:

• $2,500 (3rd largest contribution made by the firm) – Bill LeFew 10/24/6
• $2,000 (tie for 4th largest contribution made by the firm) – Bill LeFew 11/13/4
• $2,000 (tie for 4th largest contribution made by the firm) – Bill LeFew 10/24/8

Nothing listed more recently.

No indication of any connection of the contributions over two years ago to anything happening this year, of course.

I decided to see what Z Financial wanted to purchase for $1,300, so I looked up the Property Index Numbers in the Treasurer’s data base. (Boy, do I wish I had that capability when I was County Treasurer from 1977-70. I tried to use note cards to keep up with addresses and couldn’t do it. Just too many changes.)

PIN numbers 09 06 281 015 and 016 are each ssessed (after the state multiplier) at $6,188. Total market value, according to the assessor, would be over $37,000 (three times the assessed value). From Google’s information, I can’t tell if it is two empty lots, but the parcels are adjacent, so a house probably could be built on them, if they are empty.

Seems they might be worth more than $1,300 in resolution in the County Board’s Finance Committee’s packet.

With Bill LeFew having led the opposition to the re-nomination of McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, I thought it might be interesting to see who is still giving him money.

The following were just listed on the Illinois State Board of Elections web site:

• $2,000 – Z Financial of Freeport
• $500 – Local 150 PAC (Operating Engineers)
• $500 – American Community Bank
• $250 – Alliance Contractors
• $300 – Dar Shepley of Woodstock
• $250 – Citizens for Mark Beaubien
• $160 – Devnet Inc of Sycamore

Those are the only contributions made public among the $7,830 collected during the last half of 2008. Donations under $150.01 don’t have to be reported by name.

The former McHenry County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman and current County Treasurer gave $1,000 to the Friends of NRA PAC and $500 to the McHenry County Young Republicans, plus $1,305 in non-reported smaller amounts.

Ge owes himself $10,200 and had $4,905 in the bank at the beginning of 2009.

With Bill LeFew having led the opposition to the re-nomination of McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, I thought it might be interesting to see who is still giving him money.

The following were just listed on the Illinois State Board of Elections web site:

• $2,000 – Z Financial of Freeport
• $500 – Local 150 PAC (Operating Engineers)
• $500 – American Community Bank
• $250 – Alliance Contractors
• $300 – Dar Shepley of Woodstock
• $250 – Citizens for Mark Beaubien
• $160 – Devnet Inc of Sycamore

Those are the only contributions made public among the $7,830 collected during the last half of 2008. Donations under $150.01 don’t have to be reported by name.

The former McHenry County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman and current County Treasurer gave $1,000 to the Friends of NRA PAC and $500 to the McHenry County Young Republicans, plus $1,305 in non-reported smaller amounts.

Ge owes himself $10,200 and had $4,905 in the bank at the beginning of 2009.