Bob Anderson’s Argument for a “Yes” Vote on Consolidating the McHenry Township Road District With the Township

Here’s is the Bob Anderson side of the McHenry Township Road District consolidation referendum question:

Did you know when it comes to spending public money, McHenry Township Road Commissioner Jim Condon has more power than Governor Bruce Rauner?

Did you know that the McHenry Township Road District is a separate unit of government from the township?

Look at your tax bill, you will find two lines for townships.

Did you know the amount of tax levies is determined by the road commissioner, not the township board?

Did you know it costs McHenry Township property owners over $100,000 per year for the road commissioner’s salary and benefits? A lot of money for someone to fill a couple of pot-holes.

What does it mean to vote YES for McHenry Township consolidation.

In a nut shell:

Consolidation will transfer oversight of a $4,000,000 road district budget from a committee of one (the township road commissioner) to a committee of five (the township board).

A good deal for taxpayers.

Teens carried a “Vote Yes” banner in front of the Fiesta Days Parade marchers in support of abolishing the McHenry Township Road District as a government virtually separate from McHenry Township


Will this save money?

Yes!

Will this increase transparency?

Yes!

Will this improve oversight?

Yes!

Will this eliminate waste, patronage and nepotism? Yes! Will township roads continue to be plowed and maintained by the township?

Yes?

How will the consolidation question appear on the ballot?

Shall the Road District of the Township McHenry be abolished with all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities being assumed by the Township of McHenry? Yes? No?

McHenry Township Road District consolidation will provide valuable benefits for over taxed and over governed homeowners.

Fact.

Government consolidation does not cost more.

It reduces the size, cost and power of government. Vote yes November 6!


Comments

Bob Anderson’s Argument for a “Yes” Vote on Consolidating the McHenry Township Road District With the Township — 16 Comments

  1. Calling it the “Bob Anderson side” damages the consolidation effort as a whole, since

    1) Bob Anderson is a polarizing figure with a track record of losses in this area AND

    2)) There are people in that movement who vehemently disagree with Bob Anderson’s overall view of township government. So to be for consolidation does not necessarily place one on “Bob Anderson’s side.”

    Also, it looks like Anderson is backpedaling.

    First he said it’s about money.

    Then he said it wasn’t about money.

    Now he’s saying it WILL save money (again).

  2. Obviously it will save $. A lame-brain position will be eliminated, AND ALL THE PENSION BURDEN OF THAT USELESS POSITION “ROADWAY COMMISSIONER” GOING FORWARD.

  3. He’s a sort of Don Quixote.

    But he might have just been ahead of his time.

    Townships blow.

    They gotta go!
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Shortly after taking office last year, Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Andrew Gasser said he received an anonymous package containing old credit card bills that were expensed to the township road department before he took it over.

    Among them were numerous purchases of clothing and accessories from retailers like Lands’ End and prAna.

    There were bills for two cashmere and cardigan sweaters and a wool coat for $349.

    There was a receipt for a Levenger purse for $329, according to a lawsuit Gasser filed challenging the expenses.

    Also included were airline tickets from Chicago to New Orleans, $375 each, for the daughter and grandchild of the former road commissioner and bills for a hotel and meals during their stay.

    There were dinner and drinks at Hooters, and even tickets to Disneyland, according to the lawsuit.

    The unusual purchases prompted an investigation by the McHenry County state’s attorney’s office, as well as a storm of complaints claiming improper spending of public funds. At the same time, Gasser himself became a target of criticism for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees to fight the unionization of the road district workforce.

    What one observer calls a “circus” in the township has added momentum to a movement to abolish townships altogether.

    It’s prompted dueling Republican proposals for new state laws, one to make it easier to get rid of townships, the other to require a study to show financial savings before any township unit could be dissolved.

    Illinois has 1,428 townships, helping to account for more units of government than any other state.

    It’s a layer of bureaucracy formed primarily to serve rural communities, but most states do without them. Numerous studies have found that local government consolidation is likely to save money.

    “The real issue, and the reason property taxes are so high in Illinois, is because we have 7,000 units of government,” said state Rep. David McSweeney, a Barrington Hills Republican who’s sponsoring the bill to make it easier to mount township abolition campaigns in McHenry County.

    “The only way we’re going to reduce property taxes is to consolidate local governments. Townships are just a start.

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-illinois-townships-abolish-20180308-story.html

  4. “Obviously it will save $. A lame-brain position will be eliminated”

    No, you’re still going to have a highway commissioner, they’ll just be appointed by the board instead of elected by voters.

    The township roads still need to be maintained and someone still needs to manage the road workers — it’s not going to be the trustees.

    I assume the pension savings would materialize though, at least in the long run.

  5. If you think a highway commissioner job is “patching a few potholes” you are being absurd.

    Some real dummies on the side of consolidation.

    There is going to be no savings.

    There is going to likely be lots more patronage.

    If you don’t like the highway commissioner then vote him out.

    Plus supervisor is the real do nothing job.

    Part time work with full time pay.

    Easy to eliminate.

    Bob is clueless

  6. The “mrs.” sounds a little too close to the road commissioner to be impartial!

    And how quick she turns on the supervisor!

    Dog eat dog.

    For many years the roads were maintained by Majercik, VanEvery etc. (above County cost) who had no particular training for roadwork and Condon continues in true township form.

    Why should the road commissioner be an elected position? Hired, professional experience will get the roads done at less cost through township consolidation.

  7. Condon is a civil engineer genius. Saying he has no training for roadwork is hilarious.

  8. Thewatcher do you have proof of all 3 commissioners maintaining those roads above county costs?

    Please elaborate on this.

    I would love to see those numbers.

  9. Machone, saying Condon is a civil engineer genius is ridiculous hyperbole.

    You really should try to tame that bro-mance you got going.

    As for the numbers, I’m sure you could get a per mile cost from Condon if he even knows what it costs to run his trucks.

    Add that to the cost of his workers driving around looking for a pothole to fill when there are none because he wastefully keeps repaving when not needed.

    That’s what happens when one man controls the budget.

    Add it all up and it would be above County costs.

  10. Thewatcher Bromance!! Hahaha let’s talk about the vendetta you have against him it is very similar to bob Andersons….
    Your opinion is that it costs more.

    Well everyone has one and that’s yours. McHenry Township road district maintains their roads for much cheaper then what the county would do it for.

    I suggest you take a look at all of the good things the toad district has been doing.

    But you only see one side Bobs side and I feel sorry for you.

  11. “Condon is a civil engineer genius.”

    A ‘genius’ who went bankrupt, stiffed a bunch of creditors, and found a new governmental ‘job’ from which to leech off us. Right!

  12. And I suppose, Bob Miller is a Super Genius cubed bc the ‘genius’ Condon hired Bob Miller for ‘consulting’!

    these township rats know no shame. Machone has to be Condon or one of minions … or wife.

    It couldn’t be a rational outsider.

    “Genius” yeah, right. the ‘Genius’ can be observed at Rusty Nail most afternoons with his 8-martini liquid lunches.

  13. Condon is a civil engineer.

    That’s one sentence the watcher stated that none of them have training in roadwork.

    So I said Condon is a civil engineer.

    And being sarcastic called thewatcher a genius

  14. Send it to me. I told the Road Commissioner James Condon at the Johnsburg Parade that I would put up the opposition side, if they provided it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *