Al Zielinski
A statement from the newly-nominated Republican candidate for Grafton Township Assessor:
“Dear Grafton Voters:
“Thank you for your support in the primary election as we achieved the first step of timely and accurate assessments.
“Zero appeals and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights are one step closer to reality.
“I am deeply grateful to the voters, my tireless campaign staff and volunteers as well as all the property owners who shared with me their vision for a better, more fair, Grafton Township.
“As we begin the campaign for the April 9th general election, my message and promises remains the same:
- transparency
- core values
- education, experience, ethics and empathy
“We’re a big step closer to my promise and the reality of “Everyone Pays No More Than Their Fair Share!”
“I ask for your continued input and support.
Sincerely,
Alan Zielinski
Certified Illinois Assessment Office
We understand that one of your new employees in your office will be Linda Moore. This was an agreement that you and Moore had if she lost, and you won. Thus her reason for completing an assessor class prior to the election.
An unfounded rumor that was personally debunked here, at the Sun City assessors’ forum and in several other venues.
I’ve never had any plans to hire Ms. Moore based on her lack of assessment experience.
My hiring preference conveyed at the Sun City assessors’ forum was and remains:
– current employees (if properly motivated),
– appraisers (if properly motivated),
– Veterans (if properly motivated),
– handicapped (if properly motivated),
– all other qualified individuals (if properly motivated).
“Properly motivated” means dedicated to honesty, accuracy, conformity with state and federal valuation statutes/guidelines, “customer service,” an exemplary work ethic and the common good of Grafton Township’s residents and businesses.
Hopefully we can keep discussions about the general election about facts versus unfounded and previously dispelled rumors.
Thank you for your immediate response, correction and clarification.
Is your Taxpayer Bill of Rights just a copy of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights that was started and has been in use in Colorado for quite a few years?
Please explain your “taxpayer bill of rights.”
Jack,
My plan contains parts of what has been enacted in other states.
That was necessary to prove the validity they can also be achieved in Illinois with the proper level of support.
However, the core is really based on my decade of serving as an appeals agent for my clients and being appalled at the blatant lack of equity in the proceedings.
Please note the above deals with counties other than McHenry.
I maintain the highest respect for McHenry County’s Board of Review’s professionalism and fairness.
There are numerous facets I’m discussing with our legislators but a rough skeleton follows.
+ Taxpayers can reschedule their Board of Review hearing once with good cause.
+ The burden of proof shifts to the Board of Review when an appeal is supported by a USPAP-compliant appraisal performed for ad valorem purposes.
+ Taxpayers can recover court costs and fees if they prevail in court and the variance between their claim and the assessment exceeds a certain percentage.
+ If assessments increase above a certain amount, a written explanation must be provided to the taxpayers.
+ If a taxpayer’s appeal is rejected, a written explanation must be furnished.
I’m still speaking with property owners who have appealed on their own seeking their input regarding issues they’ve encountered.
If you have any to share, please send them to the e-mail on my web site.
http://www.Al-for-Assessor.com
Thank you!
I am so frustrated to have heard about the supporter of the independent slate “Restore Grafton” voting for Zielinski in the primary because they think he is easier to beat than Ottley.
What a crappy way to use your vote, and now the choice is between two weak candidates.
So frustrating!
It makes me think they still have no ethics just like when they were aligned with Linda.
They all thought all did so bad at the debate that they wanted him to be their opponent
@Kate G, when I heard about the plans of the “Restore Grafton” slate and their supporters casting their Republican primary ballots to nominate Al Zielinski over Bill Ottley, I did not believe it was the right thing to do.
They did it anyway.
Legally, there is nothing wrong with what they did.
People who voted like this cast a “strategic” vote, and not a “sincere” vote.
It’s a voters right to do whatever they want to do in the voting booth, and they did it.
The fact the 6-term incumbent lost did demonstrate he did not have the popular support his supporters thought he did, and he is now a lame duck until his term ends on December 31st.
Since the choice for assessor is now between Republican nominee Zielinski and Restore Grafton slate member, independent candidate Terra Jensen, their qualifications must be evaluated between now and April 9th and hopefully, voters will cast an informed, sincere vote.
As somebody else wrote in a comment on FEN, Jensen is the only candidate with actual experience working in a township assessor’s office (Elgin Township, since mid 2010), which means she’ll have 3 1/2 years of experience when the term begins on January 1st, 2014.
Additionally, she’s lived in Grafton Township for 9 years, is happily married and owns property in her own, and her husband’s, name in Grafton Township.
Zielinski cannot claim any of those 4 points that Jensen can.
Zielinski is tied to Linda Moore by virtue of the joint campaign/food drive appearance they did back in October, and well documented by FEN.
Despite his words to the contrary above concerning hiring Linda Moore, he was not firm enough to cover all the bases, and declare that Linda Moore will not be hired for ANY role within the assessor’s office if he’s elected, including deputy assessor, or any other full time, part time or contracted position, period!
Until Zielinski becomes more forceful, and less diplomatic (difficult to do, since Moore’s husband is a Republican running mate for township trustee), voters will always have doubt that Linda Moore could still be back in an official capacity at township hall once her supervisor’s term ends in May.
But for the good, discerning voters, BOTH candidates will have to present their credentials, and go out and WIN the assessor’s race.
If both candidates, and their volunteers, are motivated behind their person, it should be an active, energized and vigorous campaign between now and April 9th.
May the best woman win!
Storm,
Your comments make me smile given their continued inaccuracy.
While I enjoy our banter, my focus in the coming weeks will be issues of real consequence to Grafton property owners, like my Taxpayer Bill of Rights described above.
So, this will likely be the last time I dispel your inaccuracies (again).
My 02/28/2013, 1:09am post above unequivocally states my position toward hiring Ms. Moore.
Until you post something concrete to the contrary, let’s go with printed material directly from the candidate’s mouth and fingers.
Ms. Moore’s and my campaign were never “tied” nor “joint.”
That’s been previously conveyed numerous times here, on FEN and Huntley Neighbors.
Your continuing to state something to the contrary will never make it so.
Regarding residency, I wouldn’t have made it this far if I wasn’t a resident of Grafton Township!
So I can claim one of Terra’s “benefits.”
My 30 years of diverse appraisal and valuation experience coupled with 50 years of general business experience were enough to unseat a 22-year incumbent.
They’ll be more than adequate to offset 3.5 years.
Let’s keep general election discussions about real facts versus unfounded and previously dispelled rumors.
Grafton deserves better!
Oh Al Zielinski, do I really think you are smiling or very worried about losing to Terra Jensen on April 9th? If you’re not worried, you’re delusional. How many times have I heard you say you’ve replied to me for the last time, only to see you reply yet again. Maybe because you’ve never been able to completely dispel what I’ve said. You may not listen to what I have to say, but rest assured, many readers of this blog do.
Let’s look at what happened today — outgoing Assessor Bill Ottley OPENLY ENDORSED TERRA JENSEN OVER YOU ON APRIL 9th! Basically, he said Jensen has morals and ethics! Couldn’t have said it better myself. Let’s look at the ethics, based on FEN publisher Pete Gonigam’s comment about you yesterday:
First Electric Newspaper LLC said…
Mr. Zielinski has serially abused the privilege to post comments on FEN. Ms. Jensen has not. FEN is neutral on their respective candidacies.–ed.
February 28, 2013 at 4:49 PM
—————————————-
Wow! Zielinski “serially abused” sure sounds like lose ethics to me! I saw the ridiculous comment you had about FEN’s article today, and I saw how quickly FEN deleted it! Lose ethics is true!
How about morals!? Your repeated excuses about no big deal on your assessing the property of your girlfriend without disclosing it to the Board of Review has rung hollow as well as the fact you live in that property.
And then, there’s the carpetbagger in you, where you’ve only lived in Grafton Township for just over a year by living with your girlfirend, and you own no property ANYWHERE in Grafton Township. You’ve made it clear you own 0% of that home. Prior to Grafton Township, you lived in Cuba Township in Lake County.
With Ottley openly backing Terra Jensen, your campaign has begun to crumble!
Thanks, Al, but no thanks. In my eyes, a vote for you may as well be a vote your Linda Moore.
Your credibility is as shabby as hers and I’m surprised you can even spell Republican much less wear the GOP cap.
The more you talk, the more my head hurts.
Al sez: “Ms. Moore’s and my campaign were never “tied” nor “joint.”
That’s been previously CONVEYED numerous times here, on FEN and Huntley Neighbors.”
That message was conveyed by you AL, on McHB, FEN and HN. Fact is Al, you have several issues that CONVEY to voters and taxpayers that something may be amiss. YOU representing your girlfriends re-assessment. YOU inviting Linda Moore and her food pantry to participate in your campaign fundraiser. YOU claiming the homeowners exemption on your home in Lake County while claiming you stay and live with your girlfriend in Lakewood. Both YOU and Linda getting you assessors certification last year. It does convey “something” to the public. That “something” is that YOUR actions speak louder than your words (that’s a similarity you share with Linda Moore).
Keep patting yourself on the back because you unseated Mr. Ottley. IMO, your campaign of deception got you votes. I truly believe that your win was also a result of the “Vote for the Worst” strategy that will enable Terra Jensen to “pick you off” as planned, in the April election. As somebody else wrote in a comment on FEN, Jensen is the ONLY candidate with actual experience working in a township assessor’s office.
I’d be interested if “the oncoming storm” has an opinion about the job the new Assessor has been doing since he won the election.
My 50% reduced assessment I received in the mail 2 days ago tells me something IS being done (and in my case, it is years in the making).
Has the Linda Moore and other diverting issues situation gone away as just internet fodder (at the end of the day)?