Positions

On this page you will find my position on several key issues that relate to the County Board.

Taxes

Prudent financial practices over time have led to a Aaa bond rating for McHenry County. I applaud the County Board members who helped make this happen. However, in this economic downturn I strongly disagree with the board members’ recent decision to increases taxes for residents to the limit of what is allowed under the tax cap law. Residents are hurting financially, and with a very solid fund balance in place, I believe the county should have held the line on taxes for the upcoming year.

In District 158 we, too, are allowed to increase our funding next year. But because of these difficult economic times, the board is levying the same dollars as last year, which will result in a 0% increase in revenue next year.

I believe that fund balances are a smart budgeting practice. They allow for a financial safety net in times of emergency. However, when families are struggling to make ends meet, I think a better decision would have been to contract spending in ways that have the least impact on key county services. This is not the time to be asking residents to pay a higher county tax bill.

Salaries/Union Negotiations

A fine line exists between offering competitive salaries and spending more than what the county can afford. It is my opinion that all contract negotiations should be entered into with a “what can our budget sustain” and a “what are our priorities” attitude. The key, I believe, is to have strong and reliable financial projections, open and trusted communication, and an understanding by all that any contract negotiation will not threaten future balanced budgets. In the end, a mutually agreed-upon contract will include give and take on both sides of the table.

Job Creation

Today, Illinois is a business-unfriendly state. County board members have a responsibility to promote business-friendly practices that attract new jobs to our county and encourage our existing employers to stay here rather than jumping across the border to Wisconsin or Indiana. I believe this can be accomplished by decreasing regulation and by pursuing zoning which allows for new businesses in McHenry County. The new zoning plan for McHenry County allows for new business expansion in very limited areas in the county.