In the Human Resources Committee this morning the most ballyhooed issue was one from McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks to eliminate pensions for those countywide officials specifically mentioned in the 1970 State Constitution.
Franks proposal, of course, got coverage in the Northwest Herald.
The Daily Herald followed suit.
And, among Chicago media, CBS-TV bit.
McHenry County Blog reported on Franks’ effort first:
Only McHenry County Blog, however, reported that what he was proposing was illegal:
- “Will County Board Concluded It Could NOT Take Away Countywide Elected Officials’ Pensions, as Jack Franks Is Proposing.” (Version revised with Dr. Anne Majewski’s correction.)
Tom Wilbeck
When the resolution came up, Tom Wilbeck moved that it be approved.
Then something happened that rarely occurs in committees.
No one seconded the meeting, meaning the proposal could not even be discussed.
Attending the Human Resources Committee meeting besides Wilbeck were Donna Kurtz, John Jung, Don Kopsell, Mary McCann, Michael Rein and Craig Wilcox.
Franks could still put this on the agenda for the full Board.
Eliminate all taxpayer funded pensions!!!!!
Ed, that includes SEIU public sector and Teachers and Police and Firemen right?
BTW, I do realize that this Ed is not THE Ed we all have come to know and love over the years.
This is why the Republican Party is up the creek.
If [insert name of hated politician here] is for something we must kill it. Never mind it’s a great idea. As long as “Republicans” listen to the old party bosses nothing will get done.
This is a self inflicted gunshot to the head by the board who refuses to do anything on real reform. Tax reform is dead. Pension reform is dead.
Why work for any of you?
…and I don’t have to prove anything to any of you. Don’t talk the talk – walk the walk.
Gasser – you know it’s not about “walking the walk” or “practicing what you preach” it’s partisanship, above all else, that matters!
Join the MCGOP, follow loyally, and you too can be billed as “Republican Strong”!
As long as you’re willing to leave your principles and ideals at the door.
If Jack found the cure for Cancer… MC R’s would have a real moral dilemma on their hands…
No matter the merits of the idea, if it is illegal for the County Board to do it, it is illegal for the County Board do do it.
“Illegal”?
So, it would be a crime?
Of course not!
And you read it first right here on the McHenry County sunshine blog, at the forefront of news and media…tic, tock, tic, tock…
Where’s the article about HR committee passing the resolution to create two positions, communications specialist as well as executive assistant?
Doesn’t fit your narrative Cal.
Hack partisans like you, Wilcox, Walkup, Thorsen will kill this county’s ability to move forward and solve its property tax issues.
While I don’t always agree with Gasser, he is right in his post above.
Glad to see Gasser is back touting his creepy Uncle Jack.
Everyone knows that Gasser loves Uncle Jack. They are peas in a pod.
Both of them like to pretend they are doing something when they are doing nothing, both of them love the sound of their own voice and their own name in print and both of them like to eat.
Uncle Jack had no interest in resolving anything on the pension issue; this was just another cleverly orchestrated stunt to make him look good and get headlines.
If Gasser could read he would have seen Cal’s previous articles documenting how state law usurped the proposal that he put forth.
One has to guess he was too busy spending Algonquin Township tax money pursuing his conspiracy theories.
How much so far?
Then let Michael Madigan’s “supremes” deem it illegal and hang it around the necks of the taxpayers. This isn’t rocket economics but politics 099. If the board is “so sure” this is illegal just vote for it and wash your hands of it.
But no – Franks (and Gasser) are for ending political pensions so we cannot vote for it. Cannot give “the round mound” and “the gasbag” a political victory even though we all talk on the phone and say we are for it.
Now instead of having a bipartisan victory ya’ll are about to be politically thumped over the head for an issue that Republicans should dominate.
Republicans here are two rules you really need to follow:
Rule 2 – “control what you can control”. You cannot control the press, the blog, Jack or me but you can control the board. It’s a 23-1 super majority. For cryin out loud act like it and pass this.
Once you pass this jump to rule 5.
Rule 5 – “Declare victory early and often”. Congratulations Republicans! You lead the way in Illinois again by passing common sense reform. Be the brave, steadfast heroes that you are. 🙄Yes Jack will also claim victory but we know none of you are lazy and will be tirelessly canvassing spreading your stories of bravery and bipartisanship for all of McHenry County, and Illinois, to hear. Praises will be showered upon you.
Try it. Do you all think I care what political hacks think about me? Nope and neither should you.
Get it done.
Another anonymous coward steps out of the shadows.
Still can’t figure out what these board members would have been charged with had they taken part in this now purported “illegal” action?
Be patient.
At what expense. How much would is cost the SA office running this up to the Supremes.
You and Jack can’t think beyond the headlines.
If your creepy Uncle won’t give up his bloated pension for a part time representative how can either one of you stand in the pillar of moral authority requesting elected officials with real responsibilities and ask them to give up theirs?
No disrespect to your service but you and Jack don’t live in the real world; neither of you ‘need’ a pension, because you both already have them.
If we want to attract qualified candidates to positions of importance we need to be able to offer them a compelling reason to run.
Nobody disagrees with removing the pensions from the county board members or the chair but most of the county officers hold a high degree of accountability and eliminating a pension of which there is little benefit earned until several terms are complete smacks of vote trolling headline grabbing.
If you and Uncle Jack we’re really concerned about making an impact you’d chase employee pensions.
But you’re not… You quit and your Uncle Jack is a fraud.
(1) 91% of the average property tax bill is imposed by school districts, municipalities and other units of local government. 9% comes from the County. The County Board has very little impact on property taxes.
If you want to do something about property taxes, focus on your local school boards who are usually about 70% of your tax bill.
The County is attempting to lower their portion of the tax bill by 10% this year. Much of that comes from savings that were in the pipeline, however, from previous years. Only a small amount will be new savings.
Board members running for re-election or for other offices will then trumpet their “success” at reducing property taxes when in reality they did virtually nothing. About 10% was reduced between 2012 and 2016 already. The rest was set in motion by previous Boards.
This will reduce the average county property tax bill by about $50. Roughly the price of a dinner for two (without drinks). That’s IT.
Elections for school boards and the other units of local government which are responsible for over 90% of the tax bill attracted only 15% of the voters.
Parents of school children were mobilized by the teachers’ unions to come out in force while nearly everyone else stayed home.
Slates of teachers were then elected to school boards. In some cases their spouses work for the same school district and will benefit from salary increases voted by those Boards in future years by their partners.
Continuing to look to county government to reduce property taxes only continues the current system in place by causing people to focus on the WRONG ELECTION and the WRONG PEOPLE.
(2) County Boards are without authority to eliminate pensions under the IMRF for constitutional county officers (coroner, recorder, sheriff, etc.). This would require changes in state law and probably a constitutional convention.
(3) I do not feel that elected officials should receive any type of pensions. They should do the same things that people do today in the private sector to save for retirement. However, the County Board can’t legally do anything about that.
So again, we are looking at the WRONG PEOPLE.
If Chairman Franks persists in this it is solely to generate publicity for himself so he can run for higher offices.
He was a master at this in Springfield where 99% of the bills he introduced failed to pass.
These are called “Headline Bills” for a reason. They garner headlines when introduced and then when people don’t hear anything more about them, they presume it passed and that he did something.
This is a “Headline Resolution”. It cannot have any legal effect whatsoever.
If you are REALLY concerned about PROPERTY TAXES, you would have run for school board in the last election, or at least worked for campaigns of those people who were doing so.
Did you?
Got it, Swamp… So, what your saying is:
“Yes, I stole… but, Johnny stole more than I did.” Is an acceptable excuse?
So, as long as the school boards suck worse than the government body you’re a part of, it’s okay for you to suck too??
As long as school boards spend more recklessly and waste more money than your government body, then your government body gets a pass and should not be scrutinized???
—
That is the biggest cop-out excuse for bad government I’ve ever heard!
And coming from who I am fairly certain you are,”Swamp” I am beyond disappointed to hear you talk that way!
And your analogy about the cost savings only equating to the price of dinner for two without drinks?
Seriously??
If I’m right, You are the guy who pushed for tirio to be recorder because of the purported cost savings of abolishing the recorder!!
Now, what kind of cost savings are we really talking there, Swamp?
An appetizer split by two?
Or perhaps just an order of fries to be split per household??
Now, I know, in reality, cost-savings wasn’t really what you cared about in the recorder race, but that’s the lie you sold to the voters! And it was wrong of you guys!!
And then you speak of running for school boards (thank God for school boards. Without them who would all the bad government folks have to shift the focus onto every time they do bad?) when YOU, Swamp, back candidates like Kurtz, touting her as the tax fighting savior of D-155, then you should fully expect to get your ass handed to you and have the teachers go on running school boards!
Who is it that you expect to take you seriously when that’s who you tout as your tax fighting savior?
I’ve got a very different Way of looking at things, Swamp…
How about, regardless of how small of a percentage of the tax bill your government body comprises,
– Be responsible in your governing! – Be accountable!
– Don’t suck!
– LEAD BY EXAMPLE!!!
Show others a government body that’s run effectively, efficiently, and honestly!…
THEN… Go out and point the fingers at other government bodies and demand the same from them!
But, if you suck… OWN IT!
If you govern cowardly… Then keep your mouth shut, your head down and continue sucking and receiving your health insurance or whatever it is that you sit in your government body to gain!
But, quit pouting about the school board’s being the problem until you man-up, show you can do better, and become part of the solution!
Regardless how small a portion of the tax bill it is!!
Swamp, you should really consider changing your screen name to “Duplicity”…
Various counties have been given opportunities by the State legislature to change from business as usual.
All they had to do was ask then wait for the legislation.
Business as usual with The GOP faithful!
“We don’t care if Franks is doing the right thing!”
“We are going to do what we can to not work with him!”
“Even if it means doing the CORRECT thing!”
Sound familiar?
Hmmm!
Sounds like Dems vs. Trump!
Or are they using the Frank card to hide their assanine acts?
Keep you pensions, keep up the good work!
To all those people voting for the likes of these RINOS, you are idiots and deserve what you get!
Bravo Mr. Wilbeck!
Mr. Wilbeck voted for the 2 patronage hires that will cost the taxpayers $160,000 annually.
It is unfathomable that if any County Board Member wants to increase the budget when it could be reduced for those positions then they should be voted out!!
Include the pay raises your talking over $650,000 a for 4 years during Jack’s Term!
Jack won’t be here long enough though and will leave it to the County Board again after he leaves a mess behind.
All this as the home for sale signs continue to dot the
landscape and people abandon Illinois in record numbers year after year.
Did the county have any communication with IMRF on IMRF’s opinion of the legality of cutting IMRF pensions for elected county officials, be they current or future elected officials?