Bruce Kaplan’s Cary Fund Raiser Draws 80-100

This banner for Bruce Kaplan hung on the wall.

This banner for Bruce Kaplan hung on the wall.

I got to Bruce Kaplan’s fund raiser in Cary about an hour after it started, so an accurate count of the number attending is impossible, but I’d guess there were 80-100.

In other words, a good crowd for a municipal fund raiser over two months before the election.

Kaplan is in the real estate business, so, not surprisingly, there were a number of real estate people in attendance.

But there were local political types as well.

Lou Bianchi talks to those supporting Bruce Kaplan for Mayor of Cary.  The man in the middle is Michael Rein.

Lou Bianchi talks to those supporting Bruce Kaplan for Mayor of Cary. The man in the middle is Michael Karnauch.  To the left is Michael Rein.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi was there.  So was Republican McHenry County Sheriff candidate Bill Prim.

Jack Schaffer talks with Chuck Lutzow's wife Darlene.

Jack Schaffer talks with Chuck Lutzow’s wife Darlene.

The Bob Miller family was well represented. I counted four family Republican Precinct Committee in attendance, including County Board member Anna May Miller.

Cary Village Trustee Bob Bragg, Cary Fire Protection District Trustee Mark Guerra and Algonquin Township Clerk candidate Chuck Lutzow posed for this picture.

Cary Village Trustee Bob Bragg, Cary Fire Protection District Trustee Mark Guerra and Algonquin Township Clerk candidate Chuck Lutzow posed for this picture.

Demetri Tsilimigras, also a GOP Committeeman from Cary was there, too.

Former McHenry County State Senator and Republican Party Chairman Jack Schaffer was also in attendance.

I only saw one Algonquin Township candidate, Chuck Lutzow, who is running for Township Clerk.

A late arrival was McHenry County Board member Joe Gottemoeller, who reminded me that his District 3 contains part of the Village of Cary.

Bruce Kaplan was kept busy greeting supporters.

Bruce Kaplan was kept busy greeting supporters.

I asked Kaplan why he entered the political arena.

Before he ran successfully for Village Trustee, the Village requirement of a $95 fee for every real estate sign caught his attention big time.

That had never happened before.

After getting the Illinois Association of Realtors involved, the village dropped the fee to $45, then waived it entirely “for election year,” Kaplan told me and several others.

The back of Bruce Kaplan's post card.

The back of Bruce Kaplan’s post card.

He also pointed out that before he and his allies were sworn in two years ago, the Village Board denied a homeowner permission to put on a metal roof.

Kaplan said there was no ordinance prohibiting metal roofs, but the Village Board wouldn’t let the man do it anyway.

Such non-written rules are high on Kaplan’s list of things to change in village government.

The address side of Bruce Kaplan's post card has his talking points.  They include continuing to ask hard questions, a low tax levy, making Cary more business friendly and a cohesive board, among others you can see above.

The address side of Bruce Kaplan’s post card has his talking points. They include continuing to ask hard questions, a low tax levy, making Cary more business friendly and a cohesive board, among others you can see above.

I had a good talk with Brett Coleman. He came up with this marvelous comment about the state of business in Illinois:

“The only business to be in in Illinois is the moving business.”


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