Last year with Mike Walkup leading the way, the McHenry County Board cut its tax levy by $3 million.
That was the amount that the County’s financial gurus recommended levying for the Valley Hi Nursing Home.
That was despite there being over $40 million sitting in Valley Hi bank accounts.
This year the Board harked to McHenry County Board Finance Committee Chairman Mike Skala’s argument:
“If we don’t take the full amount, we lose it forever.”
He was referring the rules under the Property Tax Cap.
The law, as amended in 2006, allows tax districts to go back three years and levy (ask for) the highest amount during those three years.
That’s how the proposed levy of $79,344,078 was determined.
Maximizing the County’s tax take was the order of the night.
The budget did not ask for the $3 million to be levied for Valley Hi, however.
Only $10,000 was requested–enough to keep Valley Hi’s tax authority alive.
The budget picked the number $2.74 million–made possible by past Valley Hi levies–to be spent on capital projects.
Chuck Wheeler tried to get that amount taken out of the levy resolution, but failed on a 17-6 vote.
The six supporting the levy reduction were
- Yvonne Barnes
- Diane Evertsen
- Andrew Gasser
- John Hammerand
- Jeff Thorsen
- Chuck Wheeler
Those voting for taxes to be 4% higher next spring than this year follow:
- Michele Aavang
- Chris Christensen
- Sue Draffkorn
- Joe Gottemoller
- Jim Heisler
- Tina Hill
- John Jung
- Don Kopsell
- Donna Kurtz
- Bob Martens
- Mary McCann
- Robert Nowak
- Michael Rein
- Carolyn Schofield
- Mike Skala
- Larry Smith
- Mike Walkup
The members whose names appear in boldface type are concluding their terms of office. In addition is Anna May Miller, who did not attend the meeting.
Turncoats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The audio recording of the meeting is on the Meeting Portal.
http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=3577
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How much is the county budgeting for Randall Road & the I-90 / State Route 23 interchange?
Oh yes they are “Republicans”.
I typically vote R, but am ashamed of our wolves in sheep clothing.
Such high property taxes yet they want more…
This is one of the reasons Jack Franks was elected.
He ran on a platform of tax reduction so what does the Board do?
Raise taxes so he can lower them!
Brilliant!!
The Board he will be ‘controlling’ – yes he will control them because they are a bunch of ‘followers’ / ‘wooses’ – consists of fourteen ‘Progressives’ with the addition of Yensen.
Yes, just because they have an ‘R’ behind their name does not make them a Republican – their votes dictate whether or not they represent the taxpayer
Not sure yet about Kearns, Wilbeck, Reinert, Wilcox or Bates.
“Wooses are evil beings in the world of Narnia, who were followers of the White Witch”.
Schofield absolutely embarrassed herself last night!
Listen to her lobby for a developer and then vote NO!
The other thirteen ‘R’s embarrassed every true Republican in the County!!
The Republican Party needs to license the use of the ‘elephant’ on campaign signs and literature to support ‘vetting’ of candidates!!!
No ‘honest’ Republican would have voted YES last night.
The taxpayers are screaming for property tax reductions so what does the Board do?
Raise taxes.
Let the exodus continue!
People leaving have an income in excess of $70,000 per year while those remaining in the State have an income of $50,000 per year.
How long before the ‘takers’ start to turn on each
Will the commencement of drug testing welfare recipients in WI increase Illinois (McHenry County) below $50,000 annual income residents?
Will McHenry County taxpayers ever start to promote conservative candidates to run for office? Any office?
Will Andrew Gasser abort his campaign for Road Commissioner because he is needed more at the County?
What a cowardly post-election action.
Boy, you guys on the board sure love your power, don’t you?
Maybe we do need a few more dems in the mix before you kids become no different than the Springfield fools running the state.
Way to set up Franks efforts for the next election cycle.
My prediction for next year:
Home sales will exceed that of 2016 as overtaxed property owners
flee from McHenry county and Illinois.
And the illegals will take over McHenry County when all of the real citizens leave.
Good luck with that you progressive bastards!
Big Problem is the seemingly constant changing of tax rates and levies, people generally hate uncertainty, especially in their $$$$$ flow.
You lefty’s and Righty’s need to stop with the changing nonsense, get a flat rate with no deductions and leave it alone.
We need to take that changing BS away from the politicians also.
Rates and levies shouldn’t change without 2/3 voter approval, not as the wind blows nonsense we have now.
No matter the revenue, spending must not exceed it.
Over spending and debt accumulation adds to the uncertainty just as much as changing tax rates and levies.
My 4 years old rant that has been posted here and on the NWH.
It’s good to see Paul and Andrew picked up the ball and at least put this concept on advisory referendums.
Overwhelmingly they passed, the 8% who voted against were probably those who benefit from gov over spending.
We need some government, how much will be debated till the end of the earth.
As tax payers we must take away some of the power/decision making away from our elected officials, spending, setting tax rates, and borrowing.
These three issues were problems that were never addressed properly when the country was formed and Constitution was written.
They should have been, but the partisan nonsense started already way back then with over spending and borrowing to buy votes.
Spending must always match actual revenue available at the time, ie what we are willing to give in the form of taxation.
Borrowing should only be allowed with voter approval.
Individual Income tax rates and Property tax rates should not be roller coasters of ever changing rates, which just leads to insecurity for the tax payer not knowing what is coming next from the elected to buy votes.
That is called: As the wind blows nonsense.
I would propose we force our elected by Petition, which is allowed in the constitution, to enact a Balanced Budget Amendment that has the income tax rate and/or property tax rate control tied to it.
The Congress, State, and Local government agencies will only be allowed to adjust the income or property tax rates after a 2/3 approval vote within its legal boundary.
Our choice, the citizens of the country, state, county, and local government, with a strong majority vote behind changes, not the Pacs controlling the over the top partisan as the wind blows hacks.
Government agencies that use Property taxes should have no levy power or equalizer or ability to raise taxes because of inflation, whatever the home value, up or down, the rate we voted on determines what is paid in taxes.
Not enough as most elected seem to keep saying, then come to us with your yearly or two year budget recommendations and let us vote 2/3 for any change from the year before.
No more passing on our debt to future generations should be allowed.
We borrow almost 40% for the Fed Gov now that must stop ASAP.
We can budget a pay back of our various government debts, it’s time we correct our mistakes as lazy sleeping citizens and move on as a country with fiscally responsible government.
I listening for other suggestions, got one?
That rant should be put in a binding referendum and let this county be the testing ground for the rest of the nation.
Of course nation wide would be the best, since the Fed and State have the biggest over spending to buy votes problem.
Just reason #675 to vote against “Sweet” Sue Draffkorn is she ever dares to run for anything AGAIN!
Why is Tina Hill still there?
I thought she was booted out, but like Freddie Krueger, she returns to cause havoc and mayhem.
I thought Christensen would be good …. I didn’t take long for him to turn tax-pig!
Live & Learn folks
Waiting for ya’ll to find some way to blame Jack Franks, or, more generally, the Democrats for this one.
No way to do that, but if the new Board abates the $2.74 million, I’m sure he will claim credit.
I am really disappointed in my Republican Party.
I am disappointed in all of you who voted to increase my property taxes.
Sitting in the audience watching all of you vote on this was like watching a car crash in slow motion.
The professionalism by some board members is insulting to me as a taxpayer.
I am paying your salaries for you to act in this manner?
None of you deserve a pension or healthcare when you cannot even represent the people with class and dignity.
I am also disappointed in Andrew Gasser.
When the levy discussion came up he never spoke, why?
Instead, after voting he simply walked out of the room.
I am thankful you voted the right way.
I just wish you were a little more vocal.
Thank you to all of you who tried and stop this.
I am glad Jack Franks will be the chairman and I hope he can work with all of you who want to give us property tax relief.
It is clear to many of us that the last two years of leadership on this board has proven to be a disorganized, dysfunctional, group of grade school kids who think they are on the playground.
Martha Thompsen
Crystal Lake
The reason that the vote on the Wheeler motion went the way it did is because Mr.Wheeler got what he was supposed to say BACKWARDS, so it would have ended up ADDING to the taxes rather than lowering them.
He was supposed to have made a motion to eliminate the $10,000 Valley Hi LEVY, and THEN make a motion to reduce the BUDGET by either 2.74 or 2.75 Million depending on how the first vote went.
Instead he reversed that and first went to the 2.74 Million reduction and framed it as a reduction in the LEVY instead of in the BUDGET.
That’s why we had to vote against it.
That is also why there was no support later for the Valley Hi levy reduction as it had become a moot point.
Walkup there you go again blaming someone else. You could have made
A
Motion to fix it but I did not hear anything from you
Then fix it Mike Walkup because right now it makes me very sorry that we supported and voted for you.
So we have to support our Republican candidates
so that they raise our taxes.
Got it..
Walkup and Gottmoller, the two republicans who ran for County Board Chairman, both voted to Max the Tax.
We have got to get better candidates.
The taxpayers in this county are “being taxed to death” and I didn’t want to increase the burden on them with this budget.
My motion was simple, plain and to point; it was to lower the levy that a taxpayer would have to have paid in taxes.
What I ran on and achieved in the previous budget.
Remember, to abate a tax it has to be imposed on the taxpayer as a tax first.
And in-between the taxing and abating anything can happen. The taxpayers in this county have been imposed upon enough!
Reducing the levy would have been absolute and final.
The scare tactics that were orchestrated by dissenters were just that, scare tactics!
Bottom line, if you don’t have enough money when all is said and done you either “cut back on spending, or increase efficiencies, raising taxes in this environment is out of the question.
Cutting back is not a crime, we do it in our households all the time when necessary!
What should be a crime is telling the taxpayers that you are taxing them for one thing and then switching it immediately for another purpose.
The $2.75M cut was deliberately done initially, because it had a much greater impact than a measly $10K cut to the taxpayer.
In fact, if the 10K cut was done initially with the $2.75 there would have been less support for the motion than it received on my motion.
Perhaps in the future we might prevail with more like minded persons coming on board!
Beginning to wonder about the Republicans
A week after the election and these greedy board members are asking for more.
I voted Republican … what a mistake.
SHAKING MY HEAD.
Can’t wait to leave this sorry ass state.
You board members can be the only ones left here, and then you’ll finally figure out what we’re talking about.
” got what he was supposed to say BACKWARDS, so it would have ended up ADDING to the taxes rather than lowering them.”
That is just plain silly.
If the motion was not right, refuse to second it, say why.
Then make the motion the right way.
Or vote it down, then offer the RIGHT motion, and pass it.
I was on a zoning and planning board.
We did that when someone made the motion improperly.
Administration and RINO Skala clearly directed the board in a carefully planned way and the board members went along without noticing.
I do hope board members watch their guard better in the future or Franks will plow over them and take McHenry County with them.
Maybe if we try really hard we can be the #1 most taxed county in the country…
Just another example of why I left the MC Republican Party back in August and resigned as PC.
The Republican Party of Big Government, rampant bureaucracyv and punishing taxes..
Progressivism at its finest!
The most disturbing part is reading the negative posts by those who helped to elect and re-electc the ones they’re complaining about…
And, of course, knowing they’ll do it again next election!
Why?
“Because, we’re Republicans and we can’t let those Dems get in and run our taxes through the roof!”
How’s that working out for you?
I have come to the realization that the Republican Party does not know what they are doing. No more Republicans for me
For Paul and voter:
Re: ” the Republican Party does not know what they are doing”
In this state ANYONE can run as a Republican or Democrat in a primary!
As long as voters hold the attitude: ” I left the MC Republican Party back in August and resigned as PC” who do you think will be left behind to run all units of government?
Libertarians can’t do it – 3.3 percent of the State vote.
Green Party can’t do it – 1.0 percent of the State vote.
The problem (imho) is not the Party itself but it is the voters who have ‘given up’ and refuse to ‘fight for what is right’.
Not ‘fight’ physically but ‘fight’ with verbal persuasion.
Thank the Lord there are people like Cal who still participate in the ‘fight’.
Anyone who does not vote in the primaries is going to be left voting for the choices of other people in the general election.
True ‘change’ does not happen overnight.
Until the Republican party can license the use of the elephant and the Democrat party can license the use of the donkey, ANYONE can run in a primary for either party.
When the so-called real Republicans continue to sit silent during primaries pretending that “all Republicans are equal” and when they push progressives to the very top ranks of their party, then the battle is already lost.
That is assuming, of course, that those involved were there to fight for something to begin with…
Clearly they are not.
When the so-called conservatives, even Tea Parties, are spending time, money and energy to help elect those they already know to be weak at best and tax-and-spend progressives at worst, only because “they are all Republicans”, It becomes not only an exercise in futility, but for those who truly see it for what it is, it’s like looking into a rubber-room through a two-way mirror, watching a bunch of insane people knocking their heads into the walls…
None of these people are “in it to win it”…
They’re “in it” because they just enjoy “being in it” or because they have nothing else to occupy their spare time with.
While everyone that believes in Kabuki theater keeps admonishing Dem vs. Rep. a “third party” candidate won the Presidency.
PEOPLE WAKE UP!
There are no parties.
There is only humanity.
Stop the us against them mentality they have brainwashed you to believe in.
There will always be good and evil.
Choose wisely and don’t get caught up in the Kabuki theater game that you have been swindled into believing.
5 County Board Members voted, but are exiting.
The new Republicans you voted for haven’t been installed yet to vote against what they ran on!
“Adios Bad Ombres” to these outgoing board members (that should have been gone long ago!)
They stuck it to us just before the door hit ’em in the ars!
Give the new ones a chance!
McHenry County Republican party sent out mailers with a lot of those names on the list, assuring us that we should vote for them…
That they stood for small, limited government and to lower our taxes.
Is it safe to say the McHenry County Republican party is full of —-?
I was asked by MCGOP, and even the Huntley Tea Party, to stuff envelopes, distribute literature, and place signs for several of these names…
But, I knew better!
So, apparently even Tea Party Organizations aren’t really standing for small, limited government and lower taxes!
They have now become yet another “RINO” organization, that they once stood against.
When the Tea Party has become the new RINO equivalent, I think it’s safe to say that your entire party/movement stands for nothing.
How do they explain this?