Gasser Goes after Patronage & Nepotism

This letter to the editor was written was McHenry County Board member Andrew Gasser.  It is published with his permission.

Andrew Gasser

Andrew Gasser

The Rev. Billy Graham said, “When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

It is now time for all of us to stand in McHenry County and denounce the nepotism and patronage that has crept into our local governments.

It is time for all of us to recognize it simply isn’t good enough for us to elect people because of their “experience.”

Ask yourself,

“How are all of these professional politicians doing for you?”

McHenry County has the dubious distinction of having the 29th-highest property taxes in the U.S., and when you confront politicians, all they give you is some politically correct answer and blame someone else.

They all take a pension and the health care you would love to have (I do not).

Everyone has an excuse.

The county blames the state.

The village blames the school board.

The township blames [the] county.

It is an incestuous circle, and it needs to end. Enough of the excuses.

It is time to examine the voting records of those people who constantly have voted in their own best interests and not the best interests of the county.

Who has voted for enormous capital projects we cannot possibly afford?

Who has consistently talked about transparency and then voted against it every time there is a chance for real transparency?

Don’t fall for the lip service. Say goodbye to political correctness.

Stand.

Andrew Gasser


Comments

Gasser Goes after Patronage & Nepotism — 15 Comments

  1. This is what I put in the comment section of the NWH, go to that sites LTE and see the other comments also.

    http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2015/02/19/county-board-members-sound-off-on-nepotism/

    Almost a year ago, yet not one piece of legislation, petition, nothing to eliminated nepotism, not even changing the county hiring practices, just lip service.

    I’ve already asked my county rep, Andrew, what he has done to correct the problem as he is very verbal and emotional about the subject, actions speak louder than words Andrew.

    Tic tic.

  2. How exactly is Andrew going after Patronage and Nepotism?

    Also, how will eliminating nepotism and patronage lower taxes in McHenry County?

    It would be nice if elected officials stopped treating taxpayers as an ATM machine. Simple as that.

    If any of these people respected ordinary everyday people they would use care when spending our hard worked money…. but they don’t.

    As far as nepotism and patronage, please just be straight forward and tell us exactly who you are talking about instead of being passive aggressive.

    Who are you going after? And what are you going to do?

    Pass a law?

  3. Hi K, nepotism and patronage hurt the county in a number of ways:

    1. When familial/political relationship becomes a factor in the hiring process, other, better qualified candidates may not be selected. This means that the county gets a friend/relative in their employ rather then the best person for the job.

    2. Once a family member/friend gets into the workplace, the leader loses their moral high ground. The team will expect that the newly hired family-member or friend will get preferential treatment. The leader can no-longer hold the team to a high bar as she has lowered the bar for herself. Furthermore, much like stealing, people know that nepotism and patronage are wrong. When a leader openly engages in unethical behavior, it creates de facto approval for all to engage in questionable behavior and little recourse for the leader to manage it.

    3. Quality suffers. When a leader hires a family member or friend, they create doubt around their commitment to quality and instead seem to be saying that personal relationships and unpaid favors are more important than performance.

    Nepotism robs government of the best and brightest and replaces them with husbands, daughters and the well-connected. So, instead of great government that’s proud to run lean, we have a bloated, ineffective government that is unashamed of its shallow gene pool and unwilling to change so long as they continue to get rewarded for this behavior.

    That is why I am running on a platform to eliminate nepotism, patronage, waste and ultimately, to eliminate one more elected official with a raft of favors to repay.

    God bless us all.

    Regards,

    Joe Tirio
    Candidate for McHenry County Recorder

  4. And what is your website again, (or are your websites) Joe?

    I believe you are the ONLY candidate for the Courthouse administration who has publicly made a PLEDGE and has a PLAN.

  5. That’s it.

    I knew the second one, but was sure I’d screw up the first one.

    Thanks.

    And thanks for running and being willing to take this on!

  6. This is another comment by another person posted in the NWH:

    So Andrew are you finally going to take a stand on the current Sheriff (who I believe may be your political ally?) allegedly hiring a former political campaign manager with an ugly criminal record as a police commander?

    Political crony with ugly arrests surrounding violence against women and DUI hired as a highly taxpayer paid police commander?

    Lip service on patronage, much?

    Stand? or sit down quietly when politically convenient?

    I want to be a fan but this stance on patronage seems a bit hypocritical based on your silence on real examples of political patronage among your political allies.

  7. I don’t think patronage will every go away or can be made illegal, no matter who is running the show, they will want to hire people they know and trust over strangers.

    Nepotism is different as there is a blood trail, but one can still claim discrimination if a relative is shut out.

    State and Fed laws need to be change, and those trying to stop those practices should stop giving us lip service and organize fed and state elected officials to get legislation passed to get rid us of the problems.

    Where is that org and related plan?

    I’ve worked with nepotism and patronage workers all my life, they are not much different than any other employees over all.

    25% are great, 50% are normal, 15% just get by, and 10% ya wish you could replace.

    1 out of 100 are useless, about what any business owner would say as normal.

    Yes there has been preferential treatment been given, but there has also been politicians that drive their kids harder than the other employees.

  8. How about a document similar to the Contract with America?

    Joe, Andrew, and whoever, put something together that you can have all those that are running for office locally at least agree to sign.

    Consult a lawyer on wording, and getter done.

  9. Nob,

    Great idea!

    A few of us at Voters In Action have discussed creating “The People’s Pledge”.

    Conflicting priorities (TIFs, Clinics in schools, Turf, etc) have got in the way, but look for it , hopefully before the general election.

    Joe

  10. Nob:

    In answer to your question posed to me in prior blog I respond as follows:

    When your 4 year old child steals a candy bar from the grocery store, do you instruct him/her to return it to the grocery store merchant or instruct him/her to give the candy bar to someone in need.

    The point is the same Nob, like the candy bar, the County through its compulsory tax system stole money from us, the tax payers, to the tune of 40 Million Dollars or so over many years which is now sitting in liquid funds at Valley Hi.

    Suggesting use of these ill-gotten funds be used for any other purpose no matter how noble is the same as a parent instructing the child to give the stolen candy bar to someone in need.

    Like the candy bar, it is not the Board’s right to determine where these funds are to go other than back to the taxpayers its was stolen from.

    Like the parent who must teach the child to return the candy bar to the store merchant, “we the taxpayers” of McHenry County must act as the parent of this well intended but wrong minded Board and demand that the 40 Million Dollars be returned to the taxpayers from whom it was stolen.

    I am astonished not one member on the Board, including Andrew, is able to make this simple argument and demand of his/her colleagues on the Board that such action be taken.

    This is prime reason why neither Michael or Joe will not get my vote for Chairman.

    Not only did they approve of the annual misappropriation of these funds through excessive levies while on Board but when brought to their attention have not rectified the situation by returning the funds.

    Nepotism or not, this Board is not a friend of the taxpayer!

  11. Joe, why not before the primary?

    David, What kind of Candy bar? :)that’s what I thought, but just wanted to be sure.

    Andrew’s use the fund was incorrect, your idea is more logical.

    THX.

  12. Mr Nob,

    I would have really liked to get it done before the primary, but with everything else going on, I don’t think we could do our best work with it.

  13. Patience at this time in history isn’t a virtue.
    Andrew isn’t running like you are, delegate. LOL

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