The Silence of the Franks

Jack Franks as State Representative and McHenry County Board Chairman has posed as a strong supporter of consolidation of governments.

Let’s take a look at his record on the subject.

Franks lives in the Marengo area where, probably the only place in Illinois, there are separate fire departments and rescue squads.

When a person was appointed that the Rescue Squad establishment did not like, he sponsored a bill.

The Marengo Rescue Squad’s Station No. 2.

Was it to merge the two districts?

Nooo.

It was to allow the members of the Rescue Squad Board to be elected after passage of a referendum to that effect.

That same year–2016–he passed a bill prohibiting creation of new tax districts for four years.

His signature accomplishment in the government consolidation game was a law allowing townships to take over their township cemetery districts.

In McHenry County, both  Nunda and Richmond Townships have such districts.

Holcombville Cemetery on Crystal Springs Road in Nunda Township.

The two districts levied about $45,000 the year the bill passed.

The Richmond Cemetery District Trustees don’t even get paid.

The total tax bill in McHenry County was $797,394,337.99.

Did Jack Franks take further action to eliminate these two insignificant tax districts?

Nooo.

(Bob Anderson did, though.)

That same Bob Anderson and his fellow Republican McHenry Township Trustees put a referendum on the ballot to abolish the McHenry Township Road District as a separate tax district.

Did Jack Franks offer congratulations?

Nooo.

Nothing but crickets.

But Jack Franks did use his bully pulpit to promote a similar referendum to abolish the Algonquin Township Road District by referendum?

Fireworks.

After the bight lightof publicity, nothing but smoke remains from Jack Franks’ consolidation efforts.

Franks’ House Organ, the Northwest Herald, featured his Call to Action.

He sent a letter to Algonquin Township Board members urging passage of the referendum resolution proposed by Trustee Rachael Lawrence

It denigrated political foe Andrew Gasser (one of few Republicans willing to go toe-to-toe with Franks).

There was no hint in the letter that Gasser predecessor Bob Miller, whose fundraisers Franks attended, did anything that might have been prevented had his Road District been under the supervisor of the Township Board.

The missive was jointly signed by State Rep. Allen Skillicorn, who asked that the negative language about Gasser be removed.

Franks did not do so and was called out by Illinois Leaks.


Comments

The Silence of the Franks — 18 Comments

  1. The so called “Government Consolidation Task Force” that Franks has put together from willing County Board members is focused solely on redistricting of County Board districts and reduction in the size of the County Board. He also wants to set up a “citizen commission” to study the question.

    However, this cannot be accomplished until 2021 after the next census results are in as the terms of office of Board Members are staggered and those being elected this year will have four year terms, as was confirmed by the county States Attorney when a previous Board convened a similar committee a few years ago.

    You can’t dissolve or change their districts once they are elected, or once the election cycle has started for that matter. It can only be done once every ten years.

    By the time 2021 roles around, the composition of the Board will be different and that Board does not have to pay any attention to what the current Board or anyone else has recommended.

    No other consolidation efforts are being explored by this “Task Force”.

    This is obviously an election year ploy designed to aid the Democratic candidates running for County Board this year.

    Similarly, he wants to have a Special Meeting of the Board on July 31 to place a referendum on the ballot for term limits for Board Members.

    When the direct election of the County Board Chairman was being developed, the Board at that time wanted to consider imposing term limits on the new office but were told by the States Attorney that it would be illegal under Illinois law.

    So this is yet another election year grandstand ploy.

    Anyone on the Board who votes against either of these measures because they are illegal under Illinois law, will have that used against them in a simplistic campaign hit piece aimed at a gullible and ignorant public.

  2. You’re kind of obsessed with Jack, Cal. How much of the criticism would end if he changed the “D” after his title to an “R?” 100%? 99.9%?

  3. Maybe we need a “study” first like Reick always says?

    Oh wait, Jack already did that with the Government Consolidation Committee and they issued a report here.

    Maybe we need a bill that gives McHenry consolidation powers.

    Oh wait. Jack already did that.

    Maybe we need Cal to report on consolidation efforts by Franks.

    Oh wait, Cal already did that here:
    http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2016/06/25/looking-for-the-beef-in-jack-franks-latest-consolidation-bill/

    Another pointless blog post by the hapless Cal Skinner. What does this post do other than serve to be annoying?

  4. That consolidation committee put on by the county board was so flawed. The conclusions were spelled out before Carolyn Schofield dropped the gavel to the first meeting. Studies are pretty much worthless and I have personally seen “studies” that conclude one thing and then turn out wrong.

    The only way to shrink the size of our tax bills, even just 2 percent, is by shrinking the size of government.

  5. Amen, Andrew. Start deleting laws. Quit making up new crap that changes nothing!

  6. Studies are skewed and go the way of the person(s) who contract the consultants. In other words, useless and not accurate. Use your common sense. Public declarations are headline grabs and don’t forget the worthlessslug’s greatest excuse ‘I tried, but …

    Franks only moves on something if it will get him press, and that will benefit him personally. (Sometimes getting press is what he needs to benefit himself because he hasn’t ever accomplished anything) He’s neither Republican or Democrat but rather his own brand of dishonest and selfish politician.

  7. Andy,
    Separate from the county board’s effort, Franks also help lead the effort of the Illinois Government Consolidation Commission.

    Also, it’s stunning to me you think studies are worthless because isn’t that your job and didn’t you ask Gary Rabine for a study on roads? How “useless” was that?! lol

  8. Joek, as you work for Jacko, you’re truly obsessed with what goes on her!

  9. Andrew at 12:16 PM. Yes, shrinking size of government will cut our tax bills. Can we presume that Andrew means that this means government is too many school districts and also redundant and unnecessary administrative positions in school districts? Approximately 70% of our real estate tax bills are about school districts. This is were cutting and pruning needs to take place. School districts need to take hair cuts in McHenry County. And that is not enough. We need an Illinois Constitutional Amendment to take out the ridiculous provision that gives teachers, administrators and other government retirees an annual COLA. There is no pension system in the private sector that has such lavish and unsustainable pension benefits.

  10. @Farrin Squire:

    Correct almost accros the board: wrong on one thing.

    Lying Jack is most definitely a Democrat.

    It was he that brought that curse upon our Republic ‘Barry O’bamma’ to come to our County to campaign. It was he that stood as a delegate for Hillary.

    Lying Jack is no Democrat…Bullshit!

    He’s the worst kind of Democrat. One who pretends not to be, in a majority Republican County.

    Just another self aggrandizing banker in the mortgage foreclosure business.

  11. Cal, sorry but I must have missed Jack being elected to a position in Nunda or Richmond Township that would have vested him with the authority to eliminate the cemetery districts of which you write. Something tells me that election would have been featured in a histrionic “news article” had it happened (for those of you missin’ teeth, dictionary.com may help).

    Your characterization of the law that you describe as Franks’ “signature achievement” demonstrates what a pathetic hack you are: you couldn’t even get far enough from the truth but to describe it as ALLOWING townships to pursue consolidation. Jack supports consolidation in principle, but isn’t convinced it’s one-size-fits-all or that he knows better than the taxpayers. Thus, Franks’ support for Lawerence’s efforts in Algonquin Township – give taxpayers the chance to weigh in and then use the following election as a mechanism to reward or punish their action or lack thereof – and give voters in Marengo a voice in who runs their rescue squad. Considering how much he likes media attention, something tells me that if anyone was seriously proposing consolidation in Marengo, Franks would be listening (see, one need not think Jack is Jesus to know that you are pond scum).

  12. Jacob Shaefer showing his real colors above.
    We all know you are Fierabras.
    Who would care enough to make lyingjackfranks.com?
    What? Subsidizing billboards isn’t enough?

  13. Yes, we should have all Unit School Districts instead of separate ones for elementary and high school. In CL you have people on one school board whose spouse is on the other school board and they vote on reciprocal salary increases for one another. It’s not technically a conflict.

  14. So, Jack supports referendum putting the road district under the Algonquin Township Board, but does not praise a similar effort in McHenry Township?

  15. Cal,
    What’s funny is that no matter what Franks does, you will always ALWAYS point to doing something else.

    Franks is for consolidation; you run a bunch of posts about how Reick wants “studies.”
    Franks calls for eliminating board members; you write about how less members equals a higher pay for members.
    Franks calls for consolidating the LiTH Sanitary district; you write about how costs will go up.
    Franks calls for eliminating the Algonquin Highway dept; you bemoan that as well.
    Franks called the sky blue; you said it’s more of a cyan.

    Tit;tat.
    THis;That.

    And the post above just further articulates your pettiness.

  16. Reick and Franks, two wings of the same bird of prey.

    BOTH are complete phonies!

    BOTH are dirty shysters!

    BOTH have disreputable and disgusting pasts!

    Both are power mad!

    Both are adept liars!

    Both represent what’s so very wrong in this country!

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