Wilcox Introduces Township Elimination by Referendum Bill Filling Blanks in McSweeney Bill

A press release from State Senator Craig Wilcox: Wilcox Consolidation Bill Adds Vital Taxpayer Protection Clauses Springfield, IL. – State Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) filed legislation Wednesday to ensure local government consolidation puts taxpayers first. Senate Bill 1567 contains specific … Continue reading

Cities and Villages Seek to Merge Local Police and Fire Pension Funds

From the Illinois News Network: As costs grow, cities push to consolidate hundreds of local public safety pension funds By Brett Rowland | Illinois News Network City leaders want to consolidate hundreds of local pension funds for police officers and … Continue reading

State Rep. Steve Rieck’s Take on Rauner’s Killing of Opportunity to Abolish Township by Referendum

From State Rep. Steve Reick: Governor Vetoes Township Consolidation Bill that Targeted McHenry County On Friday afternoon, Governor Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto to HB 4637, which singled out McHenry County and would have allowed township consolidation referenda to … Continue reading

McSweeney’s McHenry County Township Abolition by Referendum Bill Sent to Governor

The Illinois General Assembly reports that State Rep. David McSweeney’s House Bill 4637 was sent to Governor Bruce Rauner on Monday by Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. So speculation that the bill might be rolled over to the next General … Continue reading

Consolidating Power – Part 2

Beginning in December 2016, a series of AD HOC Committees have been called. The highly questionable interpretation of that simple RULES statement is being deliberately bastardized by one person, allowing wholesale changes to the county board’s business, purpose, and members … Continue reading

Consolidating Power – Part 1

Former McHenry County Board member Ersel Schuster reflects on the Rules changes passed by the McHenry County Board Tuesday night: And the Answer is… Dictatorship Since my last post the following question was asked: “What proposed McHenry County Board Rules … Continue reading

Continued Discussion on School Consolidation

In the “Here we go again” category is consolidation of schools. These comments by Lakewood’s Steve Willson stimulates me to re-post the analysis I did seven years ago under his reflections: I’m so tired of this “consolidate the schools” argument. … Continue reading

NWH Reveals Referendum Endorsements/Non-Endorsements

The new Editorial Board members at the Northwest Herald may be a bit different from those in past times. I remember the days when the NWH endorsed every tax hike referendum on the ballot. No longer. The two tax hike … Continue reading

Campaigning Before the Weekend Rain

Before the rain hit, supporters of the consolidation of the McHenry Township Road District into the McHenry Township Board were out on  Route 31 at Blake Boulevard. They sent these photos: … Continue reading

TP Mathews Weighs in on Township Road District Consolidation Question

In a comment under this article Wonder Lake businessman Thomas Mathews views the township question: In response to consolidate, is the opinion of the majority of our citizen’s that the entire Township system should be reviewed to be financially compatible, … Continue reading

McHenry Subdivision Sends Mail Asking for No Votes on McHenry Township Road District Consolidation Referendum

Here’s what was sent to Indian Ridge property owners by the Indian Ridge Improvement Association: … Continue reading

Three McHenry Township Vendors Help Finance Opponents’ Campaign to Thwart Consolidation of the Road District with the Rest of McHenry Township

“Follow the money.” That was the strategy of the Washington Post reporters in their Watergate investigation. A week ago I sent a Freedom of Information request to McHenry Township asking for payments since the beginning of 2017 to any of … Continue reading

Funding for Supporting Consolidation McHenry Township Road District into McHenry Township

Just found the Illinois State Board of Elections filing of those who want to fold the McHenry Township Highway Department into the rest of township government in 2021. The committee filed under the name of Citizens for Consolidation, but a … Continue reading

Littering Continues in Front of Bob Anderson’s Wonder Lake Barber Shop

It is often said that “Timing is everything” in politics. Campaigns peak too soon sometimes. In the case of the campaign to put the McHenry Township Road District under the Township Board starting in 2021, not living in the area, … Continue reading

Supporters of Consolidating McHenry Township’s Road District with the Township Continue to Write Letters

Another letter to the Northwest Herald published here with permission of author Dave Bussell. Consolidate Now Why do people complain so much about a small increase in their cable or satellite bill but remain so passively uninformed about the one … Continue reading

Opponents to Putting McHenry Township Road District Under Township Board Roll Out Door Hanger

Continuing with the “Clip Job” them, opponents to merging the McHenry Township Road District with the Township are distributing the following to McHenry Township homes: … Continue reading

NWH Letter Talks of “Stupidly Structured Unit of Government”

McHenry’s Ned Neumann sent the following letter to the Northwest Herald. It is published here with his permission. (Opponents of the McHenry Township Road District consolidation referendum are welcome to send their published letter here with permission to post them … Continue reading

Question in McHenry Township Is Form of Government

Jamie Grubich of McHenry wrote the following letter to the Northwest Herald, which is published with her permission: Consolidate the Road District To be clear, the McHenry Township Road District Referendum is not about saving your roads, snow so deep … Continue reading