At the McHenry Business Expo, the High School District used this poster of developments to try to convince people that they should part with more of their money. Click to enlarge any image.
So, who’s going to be the three victors out of the thirteen candidates for the McHenry High School District 156 board contest?
Tell me which of the thirteen are endorsed by the teachers union and I’ll tell on whom I would place my money.
The reason is that teachers, other school district employees and their families have the most at stake. They may not be numerous enough to pass a tax hike or bond referendum, but, in most years, they are a big enough voting bloc to elect any school board member they support.
Because they have the advantage of being organized with Political Action Committee money available from the Illinois Education Association, the statewide union, their endorsed candidates will have professional campaigns. Then, there is the local teachers union money.
While the McHenry Grade School District was smart enough to convince Wonder Lake's Harrison Grade School District to take over educational responsibilities for Thacher Meadows, the massive development is still the responsibility of the McHenry High School District.
The other twelve candidates will fight among themselves for, let’s guess, seventy percent of the vote.
Let’s say there are 2,000 people voting. Each person gets three votes, so there is possibility of 6,000 votes.
If the vote were split evenly, each candidate would get 461 votes.
But, with the teachers and their allies focusing their votes on three candidates, each would get 600 votes as a base (again assuming the teachers control 30% of the vote).
That would leave 4,200 votes for the nine other candidates.
467 votes apiece, if they were evenly divided.
The teachers’ candidates would get not only the bloc of votes from people who have a financial interest in higher taxes, but would also garner some votes from friends who do not know their higher teacher salary agenda.
So, in reality, the independent candidates would not be able to split 4,200 votes, but, probably, less than 4,000.
While there was a poster showing enrollment increases, there was none showing the property taxes per home over time.
Of course, the votes of the independent candidates will not be split evenly. One of more of the non-teacher-endorsed candidates may well be able to break away from the crowd and get within striking distance of the teachers’ candidates.
If there were three teacher versus three taxpayer candidates, the taxpayer candidates would probably win, based on the recent referendum margin.
But, who could speak to six of the supposedly taxpayer-friendly candidates convincingly enough to get them to withdraw so the teachers’ candidates could be beaten.
There is no taxpayer organization in McHenry. I know of no “taxpayer party” leader in McHenry who could be persuasive. I don’t even know anyone who could call a meeting of the non-teacher-endorsed candidates to make such a proposal.
The additional problem is that most people outside of the high school teacher leadership clique probably don’t even know who the favored three candidates are.
The dates of high school building in McHenry.
If they came to a “let’s narrow the field” meeting, one or more of the teachers’ favorites might even be among those selected to challenge the so-far-unknown teacher candidates.
It’s not as if the teachers’ union will make it widely public whom it is supporting. To do that would identify three people that most people in McHenry probably don’t want to vote for.
The teachers’ union strategy is a stealth one.
Its success is dependent on the names of their endorsed candidates remaining secret until the last minute when it is too late to spread the word to the community at large.
Don’t expect the newspapers to tell their readers who the teachers union endorses. They never have before and there is no reason to believe they will this time around.
The papers don’t even identify which candidates have spouses who are teachers.
Even if they teach in the school district where the spouse is running for the board.
This placard was in the hall at the Business Expo. I wonder if anyone told them they could increase school capacity by one-third by using the high school buildings all year round--as every other enterprise in McHenry does. (The schools are now used about 3/4 of the year. Keep them open during the summer and that will be a 1/3 increase in capacity. 1/4 divided by 3/4 equals 1/3.)
Put your observations on that or other information you know about any of the candidates in the comment section.
People should check out who’s spouse is a teacher. This is usually a dead give-away.
So which of these thirteen McHenry High School Board candidates are most likely to do the teachers’ bidding? Put your observations on that or other information you know about any of the candidates listed below in the comment section.
- Stephen White
- Ali Coy
- Marybeth Varvil
- Donald Cichoski
- Paul A. Stevens
- Tracy Simon
- Darnell H. Qualls
- Mellody Ahrens
- Joseph Meyer
- Beth Taylor
- Steve Bellmore
- Timothy Byers
- Daniel Koruna
Did Larry Snow write this?
Perhaps Huntleywatchdog does not know of my University of Michigan Master’s Degree in Public Administration and having more undergrad hours in Government than my major of Economics. Not to mention that I have been watching politics around here since 1962 when I attended my first township meeting.
Perhaps I do; that’s why I asked “did Larry Snow write this?”
Cal, you did avoid answering yes or no.
Merry Christmas Cal!
Get used to McHenry High School stories. There will be more coming.
From you Cal or from Larry Snow?
hahaha, Larry Snow needed something to do, didn’t he?
I can tell you that there are three candidates that DO NOT have ins with the teachers. they are concerned about the financial situation and wasteful spending.
Beth Taylor
Steve Bellmore
Timothy Byers
please vote for them. I can only hope they get elected so we can climb out of this mess.
here is some information on the candidates NOT being backed by the schools.
http://citizensforfiscalresponsibility156.blogspot.com/
concerned…
Beth Taylor was a vocal proponent of the last rounds of referendums on the Nov’10 ballot.
She was part of a parents group that was in full support of the Vote YES campaign and even hosted a coffee meeting at her house in which school administration was invited to sell the referendums to voters.
To me , that says she has an “in” with administration who are the cause of the “financial situation” and wasteful spending.