A press release from Turning Point USA, not be confused with the local women’s shelter, Turning Point:
Turning Point USA Hires McHenry Field Director To Manage Grassroots Operations
McHenry, IL – Turning Point USA, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to educating students about limited government and fiscal responsibility has hired a McHenry County Field Director to oversee grassroots operations on high school and colleges campuses in the area.
The organization calls itself “the community organizers of the right” and strives to identify, organize, and empower young people across the country.
Kara Hamilton
Kara Hamilton, a DePaul University student and former Bruce Rauner campaign staffer was hired by Turning Point USA to organize grassroots operations on key campuses such as McHenry County College, Northern Illinois University, and several high schools including Woodstock High School, Crystal Lake High School, Huntley High School, and many more.
Turning Point USA currently has over 20 full-time Field Directors on staff and plans to hire dozens more heading into the fall of 2015. Field Directors work to identify conservative activists, organize student groups and chapters, coordinate activism events,
and help students get registered to vote. TPUSA is the biggest and most widespread conservative youth organization in America with a presence on over 800 college campuses across the nation.
Much of the funding needed for the McHenry Field Director position was raised at a recent Patriots United breakfast this past February. Patriots United generously hosted an event to help TPUSA raise the funds needed to expand in McHenry.
To learn more about Turning Point USA or to support the group’s efforts visit Turning Point USA.
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About $25,000 was raised at the Patriots United breakfast where Turning Point USA’ founder, Charlie Kirk, spoke.
Approximately $5,000 more is needed to finance a full year’s effort.
This organization has grown faster than expected.
The link from the blog to http://www.turningpointusa.net is broken.
On their website one can sign up for a newsletter and donate.
It’s pretty amazing they have a McHenry County Field Director.
Organization at the County level is key to turning around this politically & financially broken state.
Charlie Kirk was featured on the Champion News Radio Show once, plus a snippet about an economic myth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DOC1c_H5Xc&list=UUXnJqlPQfJ-4tuaTLpksINQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ypQFvIrM0&list=UUXnJqlPQfJ-4tuaTLpksINQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIKyOY3rKSA&list=UUXnJqlPQfJ-4tuaTLpksINQ&index=295
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2voYRJXIFt8&index=296&list=UUXnJqlPQfJ-4tuaTLpksINQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMs3BEs6Scc&list=UUXnJqlPQfJ-4tuaTLpksINQ&index=297
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uyjOwgmNmE&index=298&list=UUXnJqlPQfJ-4tuaTLpksINQ
Nothing but spinning of the wheels.
Till urban areas like just east of here show a change in who they support, what is done here is for nada.
It’s always been my approach to do everything I can where I am.
It would be helpful if factual data is examined in determining public policy.
One example:
There is a statutory debt limit for school borrowings (13.8% of EAV for unit school districts).
Schools can bypass this limit, because only PRINCIPAL is included when calculating limit.
Accrued (owed) INTEREST is as much a debt obligation as principal, yet is not considered when holding schools to a limit on borrowing.
Look at the way this has affected school borrowing:
Woodstock CUSD200 borrowed $14 million in 2006, and used an exotic financial instrument which deferred interest payments until 17-20 years hence. (Such loans have been called ‘Payday Loans’).
The INTEREST on the $14 million debt will be $50 million dollars!
So when the $14 million debt is due in 17-20 years after bond issue, total debt due is $64 million.
Yet the debt is carried on the books at only $14 million!! Even now, after 9 years, there is over $15 million of INTEREST on the $14 million loan!
Why shouldn’t that $15 million interest count against debt limit? Taxpayers owe the money.
($15 million accrued to date; $35 million more interest will accrue in the next 8-10 years, then loan comes due at $64 million)
If one concrete specific legislation could be accomplished:
Include interest owed when calculating school borrowing limits.
This would protect taxpayers and be equitable.
Put another way: What possible justification can there be for school districts HIDING homeowner debt (accrued, owed interest debt)in order to evade statutory borrowing limits?
(NEXT: Public debt refinancing with cash-out keeps taxpayers in indentured servitude. One simple legislative action could save taxpayers: require debt refinancing proceeds to be applied to pay down principal, rather than being spent on other discretionary projects).
Based on that information, Woodstock CUSD 200 taxpayers got ripped off on that bond deal.
Possible reasons one can get ripped off on a bond deal include, being naive, trusting the financial adviser as the expert looking out for the best interests of the school district when in actuality they are looking out for their own interests, someone was getting money under the table, other reasons.
It’s not unusual for the school board to be completely clueless as to what transpired with fees and interest paid on bond deals, cash out refundings, premiums issued on bonds, etc.
So one option is to present the information at a school board meeting during public comments, with handouts for the press and school board members and audience as part of the public comment.
If nothing else the information is submitted for the public record.
If Turning Point members start showing up at board meetings and digging into the bonds, unfunded pension liabilities, unfunded retiree healthcare liabilities, and TIFs, that would be a huge step in the right direction.
The younger generation stands to lose the most over time.
One bond area in which to be aware in the upcoming years is the annual non-referendum bond debt limit, otherwise known as the debt service extension base (DSEB).
The reason is during a cash crunch taxing districts are tempted to issue non-referendum bonds, because they are less scrutinized than a tax hike or referendum bonds.
And there is likely a cash crunch coming in many taxing districts as the state reduces funding to local (which prompts the thought how much has state funding to local increased or decreased annually since say 1999).
Simple solutions:
1. Legislation to ensure that ALL debt (including accrued interest) is included when calculation statutory borrowing caps AND DSEB.
2. Legislation to require Cash-out re-fi’s of public debt (schools, MCCD, etc.) must use net proceeds to pay down principal of debt.
(Yes, I have contacted Tryon, Wheeler, Althoff, Rauner and Franks with this suggestion. Nobody responded.)