Getting the Cheapest Electric Rate

Before we went on vacation, my Village of Lakewood sent out the press release below. I just got around to acting on it. The points out that Commonwealth Edison, our most avaricious utility–always asking the Illinois General Assembly to raise … Continue reading

Tax Takes for Cities and Villages

Below is what cities and villages in McHenry County did to property taxpayers last year and what can be expected this year: City or village INCR / DECR INCR / DECR 2015 – 2014 2014 – 2013 IN TOTAL TAX … Continue reading

Effective Tax Rates in McHenry County

The only way to compare property tax burdens is to divide one’s property tax bill by the value of one’s home. That’s what the Chicago Tribune did in November of 2015. The effective tax rates found for McHenry County towns … Continue reading

Comparing City & Village Tax Takes

Yesterday, we took a look at what school districts requested to be collected last year and this year. Today we’ll look at municipalities. A number of McHenry County municipalities overlap into adjacent counties. If you see “McH only,” that is … Continue reading

Income Tax Revenue Sharing Loss Would Cost McHenry County Governments $16.9 Million

The McHenry County Council of Governments (McCOG) has calculated how much money each village and city in the county would lose in state subsides should Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget recommendations be enacted. The Govenror suggests cutting the subsidy in half. … Continue reading

Candidates for McHenry County Cities and Villages

I’ve finally pinned down all who are running for municipal office in cities and villages having all or part of their boundaries within McHenry County. The names have been listed in ballot order.  That makes little difference unless there are … Continue reading

Filings for Municipal Office

Here’s my best effort to find out who filed for village and city offices in McHenry County’s thirty municipalities. Most who didn’t file last week probably waited until late Monday afternoon. Why? Best place on the ballot is first.  With … Continue reading

McHenry County Slot Machine Gambling Loses

With the Crystal Lake City Council again being courted by local liquor serving establishments for permission to install slot machines, the Illinois Church Action on Alcohol & Addiction Problems organization sent me gambling losses from December, 2014, though May, 2014. … Continue reading

Electricity Bulk Buyers To Pay 7.2 Cents per Kilowatt Hour for Next Year, Up 54% from Current 4.169 Cents

A press release concerning future electricity costs for most of those in McHenry County whose municipalities are buying it in bulk (think “aggregation”), which are going up almost 54% from 4.169 to 7.2 cents per kilowatt hour: NIGEAC ELECTRIC AGGREGATION … Continue reading

Crystal Lake’s Hikes Taxes Almost 10%–More Than Any Other City or Village

Municipal elections were last spring.  The next ones are not until next spring. Perhaps that explains why the City of Crystal Lake decided to hike taxes so much this year–a non-election year. There will go up 9.8%. McHenry, on the … Continue reading

Concealed Carry Instructors in McHenry County

The Illinois State Police has the following McHenry County residents listed as approved concealed carry instructors: Name City Phone Email Trost, Paul Huntley (847)287-8411 paultrost@gmail.com Jones, Michael Hebron (815)759-1900 mjones@mc.net Jonak, Johann Cary (512)644-7023 Johann@Windycitytactical.com Danielowski, Ronald Island Lake (847)452-0951 … Continue reading

Sheriff’s Office Scoping Out Schools in Unincorporated Areas

Look what the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department is doing in the wake of the Sandy Hook, Connecticut, elementary school massacre.  The following was postred on the Johnsburg School District web site on January 14th: McHenry County Sheriff’s Department to Visit … Continue reading

What’s Happened to Real Estate Prices in McHenry County over the Last Five Years?

I found the following information on the Chicago Tribune’s Real Estate page on the internet. It has an interative map of McHenry County (and all other parts of the six-county Chicago metropolitan area) that tells what has happened to real … Continue reading

Electric Aggregation Consortium Agrees on 46% Reduction from Current Rates

A press release from the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium and the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium: Direct Energy Offers Fixed Electricity Price to Five Communities in the Northern Illinois Governmental Electric Aggregation Consortium Illinois (April 30-, 2012) … Continue reading

Bulk Buy of Electricity May Save Big Money for Residents of Cary, Crystal Lake, Huntley, Lakewood, Prairie Grove, Ringwood, Woodstock

I missed the biggest news of Tuesday night. It wasn’t the Grafton Township Electors voting to ratify the deal that the Township Trustees cut with Road Commissioner Jack Freund for the Town Fund to repay the loan taken out to … Continue reading