What Park Districts Did to 2018 McHenry County Property Tax Bills

There are not a lot of park districts in the United States. In fact, I know of none outside of Illinois. McHenry County has five. They tend to attract people who think recreation is the biggest “good” in government. They … Continue reading

Another Dissatisfied with Huntley Park District Voting Machines

Here we go again. Another voter yesterday had a hard time voting for Donald Trump for President while early voting at the Huntley Park District polling place. You will remember that a husband and wife had problems on separate machines … Continue reading

Eyewitness Details of Huntley Voting Machine Malfunction

Yesterday when I wrote about the malfunctioning voting machines a commenter offered the criticism that the information was third hand. Actually, it was second hand from a trusted source. Since then I have interviewed Huntley’s Eileen Giltner, who was my … Continue reading

Governor Signs Bill to Allow Park Districts and Conservation District to Buy Up to $25,000 Without Bids

Governor Bruce Rauner has signed House Bill 4536, a bill that gives $5,000 more flexibility for park districts and conservation districts in purchases and contracts. Sponsored by two Democrats and one Republican in the House and a Democrat in the … Continue reading

Tax Time for Park Districts

Here’s the property tax record for park districts in McHenry County. Parks in Fox River Grove, Harvard, McHenry, Woodstock, etc., are not provided by park districts. Where there is not a park district, generally municipalities finance them out of their … Continue reading

No Contest for Any Park District Candidates

There are five park districts operating in parts of McHenry County: Barrington Hills Park District Cary Park District Crystal Lake Park District Huntley Park District Marengo Park District The rest of the county has more logical ways of providing recreational … Continue reading

Park District Taxes More Than Townships

Got this from a friend of McHenry County Blog and thought readers might find it of interest: Now that Annual Financial reports are posted on the State Comptroller’s web site, the information is more readily available. Information below was retrieved … Continue reading

Park District Real Estate Tax Comparisons

I know it is mid-summer and I forgot to show the comparisons between what McHenry County’s five park districts billed property taxpayers last year and this year. The word “extension” below is the amount that was billed taxpayers.  Because the … Continue reading

Taxes That Could Decrease in Huntley, Part of Lake in the Hills and Johnsburg, If People Vote “No”

A press release from Jim Tobin’s Taxpayers United of Illinois: Taxpayers Fight Back on Local Property Tax Increases Chicago – Illinois taxpayers are fighting local tax expansion and increase referenda with the help of Taxpayers United of America (TUA). TUA … Continue reading

“Where Do People Get the Crazy Idea that Once a Tax Increase Is Approved, We’re Stuck with It Forever?”

That’s the question that the Northwest Herald’s Kevin Craver asks in a column. He is referring to referendums put on the ballot by the Huntley Park District and the Johnsburg School District. In the Huntley example, old bonds are being … Continue reading

Campaign Material for Opponents of Tax Hikes in Huntley and Johnsburg

A press release from Jim Tobin’s Taxpayers United of America in which he focuses on the tax hikes proposed by the Huntley Park District and the Johnsburg School District: Taxpayers Fight Back on Local Property Tax Increases Chicago – Illinois … Continue reading

Will Crystal Lakers End up Paying for a Grade School Twice?

The Northwest Herald has a fascinating article about the possibility of the Crystal Lake Library District using a Crystal Lake Grade School District elementary school. Wednesday night the Board held a meeting in which the following was on the agenda: … Continue reading

Marengo Park District at Maximum Corporate Tax Rate, Barrington Hills Park District Courts Maximum Tax Rates

Today we are looking at Park Districts with territory in McHenry County to find out if any are close to their maximum rate limits. The source of this information is the Tax Rate page of the McHenry County Clerk’s web … Continue reading

Huntley Tea Party Gun Conrol Forum Tonight Taking on Life of Its Own

Here are the latest details of tonight’s event at the Huntley Park District Building, where both candidates for the 14th District congressional seat–Randy Hultgren and Joe Walsh–will be courting Republican primary voters, as will State Senate candidate Karen McConnauhay and State … Continue reading

Obama for America – Del Webb Organization Meeting at Huntley Park District Thursday Night

At the MoveOn.Org demonstration in front of Congressman Don Manzullo’s Route 14 office, McHenry County Blog’s intrepid reporter/camera woman was informed of a meeting being held at the Huntley Park District Thursday night at 7. I called to discover the … Continue reading

Paying Grafton Township’s Lawyers…Or Not

It appears that the four-member Grafton Township Board majority got its act together Wednesday night with the help of newly hired attorney Ancel Glick partner Keri-Lyn Krafthefer. Left on the losing end of all contested votes was Grafton Township Supervisor … Continue reading

Huntley to the Baseball Promoter’s Rescue?

It appears that Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley was correct. Other communities like Huntley, Woodstock, McHenry and Algonquin, are interested in a minor league baseball stadium, just like Shepley predicted right before his zoning proposal went down the Crystal Lake … Continue reading