John Reinert Urges Rejection of McHenry High School Tax Hike Referendum

A press release from McHenry County Board member John Reinert: Reinert: Alternatives to McHenry High School Board’s Tax Hike Proposal Unexplored CRYSTAL LAKE – McHenry County Board member John Reinert is urging voters in McHenry High School District 156 to … Continue reading

Three McHenry Township Vendors Help Finance Opponents’ Campaign to Thwart Consolidation of the Road District with the Rest of McHenry Township

“Follow the money.” That was the strategy of the Washington Post reporters in their Watergate investigation. A week ago I sent a Freedom of Information request to McHenry Township asking for payments since the beginning of 2017 to any of … Continue reading

Opposition to McHenry High School and McHenry City Tax Hike Bond Referendums Shows Up in Mailboxes

The committee to hike taxes in McHenry High School District 156 got $2,000 from each of the car dealers in McHenry, so they are rolling in cash. Until now, no opposition has reared its head except, McHenry County Board member … Continue reading

Scott Coffey Suggests Way McHenry High School District Could

Cary Grade School President Scott Coffey has a suggestion for the McHenry High School board: Given that D-47 just issued $9.2 million in bonds in June with roughly an average yield of 3.0%, a similar rate on D-156’s $44 million … Continue reading

Reader Mark Offers Thoughts on McHenry High School Referendum Tax Hike Proposal

From McHenry County Blog reader Mark, who has return after too long an absence: One of the big problems in school district reorganizations is what to do about the pay of employees in the lower paid district, which in this … Continue reading

John Reinert: Shift McHenry High School Students to Crystal Lake to Avoid $44 Million Bond Issue

McHenry County Board John Reinert has researched how the McHenry High School Board could meet the needs of its students without voters approving the borrowing of $44 million. That is the amount of the bond issue on the November ballot … Continue reading

$9,150 Donated to McHenry High School Tax Hike Committee from Car Dealers, Potential Vendors and Teachers Union

On Tuesday, the McHenry High School Tax Hike Committee, calling itself the McHenry District 156 Vote YES for Lower Taxes and Better Schools, scored $9,150 more in campaign contributions. Here is where they came from $2,000 – Sunnyside Company [Chrysler, … Continue reading

What McHenry City Officials Say Will Happened to Tax Bills Depending on How Residents Vote on the Tax Hik Referendums this Fall

The City of McHenry’s Parks & Recreation Department has put out the following chart showing what will happen to taxes under various combinations of voter action: … Continue reading

McHenry High School Vendors Financing Tax Hike Referendum Campaign, Pay to Play?

The majority of the financing for the $44 million bond issue being pushed by the McHenry High School Board is coming from companies who sell goods and services to District 156. Of the $5,000 in contributions reported to the State … Continue reading

McHenry High School Tax Hike Committee Wants Yes Vote To Keep Taxes from Maximum Decrease, Vote NO and cut your taxes by $325 a year!

The McHenry District 156 Vote Yes for Lower Taxes and Better Schools committee has a campaign that is a naked attempt to deceive voters into missing out on a really big tax cut in 2020. The District currently levies about … Continue reading

Why Did District 4 Count Board Candidate Steve Bellmore Give an Incomplete Answer to the NWH about Previous Elected Offices Held?

When Steve Bellmore, the candidate selected to knock Jack Franks critique Chuck Wheeler off the County Board, filled out his questionnaire for the Northwest Herald, he gave an incomplete answer to the following question: Elected office held: Bellmore’s reply was … Continue reading

McHenry High School Teacher Negotiations after Board Meeting

After at least an hour and a half of public comment and fifteen minutes of power point information from the school board’s side, the McHenry High School Board and its teacher union went back into negotiations behind closed doors. According … Continue reading

CL & McHenry High School Board Candidate’ Petitions Challenged.

Thanks to another new element on McHenry County Clerk Mary McClellan’s web site, one can find the names of school board candidates who have had their petitions challenged. There are three high school candidates in addition to the three Harrison … Continue reading

Those Interested Enough in Running for School Board to Pick Up Petitions

Petitions for school boards are being handed out by the McHenry County Clerk’s Office this year. Those getting them have an opportunity to sign their names and put other information on a legal pad. You see the results from earlier … Continue reading

No McHenry High School Candidate Favors Consolidation Grade Schools with High School District

There were two questions about consolidation of high school and grade school districts at the McHenry High School Board candidates night sponsored by the McHenry County League of Women Voters Wednesday night. Beth Taylor’s reply to the first question, which … Continue reading