McHenry High School Vendors Financing Tax Hike Referendum Campaign, Pay to Play?

The majority of the financing for the $44 million bond issue being pushed by the McHenry High School Board is coming from companies who sell goods and services to District 156. Of the $5,000 in contributions reported to the State … Continue reading

What the CL City Council Could Do to Get Rid of the CL Library’s Blagojevich Factor

As bond analyst Steve Willson has pointed out, in his industry those doing business with a government are banned from future business for two years if they make political contribution related to the entity. No such prohibition exists for builders, … Continue reading

Willson CL Library Architect Donating Big Money to Library Referendum Campaign

The following letter from bond analyst Steve Willson, was published originally in the Northwest Herald.  It is re-published below with permission from the author: Questionable Contributions Editor: Many years ago it was common for investment banks to contribute to local … Continue reading

CL Library Architect Donates $8,000 to Library Yes Committee

Haven’t seen anything like this since the Woodstock School bond referendum committee received tens of thousands of dollars from the builder on the south side of town which went under in the housing recession. Architects Engberg Anderson wants to do the … Continue reading

Cliff Surges Notes Connection of Karen McConnaughay’s Campaign Contributions to Kane County Government

If memory serves me correctly, it was a story from the Daily Herald where the campaign contributions to Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay from county vendors first surfaced.  State Senator Chris Lauzen, who is running to replace McConnaughay, brought … Continue reading

A More Extensive View of John Ryan’s District 300 School Board Service

Former District 300 Board member was out of the country on his new job when I emailed him asking what he thought his accomplishments were. Interestingly, he did not mention getting elected as a Home School Dad. In 2007, he … Continue reading

Kane County Board Chairwoman Says “No Pay to Play”

The Daley Herald’s James Fuller has done a comparison between local campaign contributions and vendor contributions that I have not seen since the article Allison Smith wrote for the Northwest Herald and the ones I wrote for McHenry County Blog. … Continue reading

Cynor Promises Not to Accept Contributions from Vendors

Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County State’s Attorney has issued a press release announcing again his Stage Left Cafe fund raiser on Tuesday with a new twist. He promises not to accept donations from McHenry County government contractors or vendors. … Continue reading

Cynor Promises Not to Accept Contributions from Vendors

Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County State’s Attorney has issued a press release announcing again his Stage Left Cafe fund raiser on Tuesday with a new twist. He promises not to accept donations from McHenry County government contractors or vendors. … Continue reading