Michael Rein: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: WoodstockWebsite: voteforrein.comOffice sought: McHenry County board District 5 Age: 49Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Doctor of ChiropracticEducation: Associates in Science, McHenry County CollegeBachelors of Science, National University of Health and SciencesDoctor of Chiropractic, National University of Health and SciencesCivic involvement: Marine Corps League Detachment #1009Woodstock Chamber of CommerceMoose Lodge #1329Habitat for Humanity McHenry County College AlumniGrace Lutheran Church WoodstockElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is that?I am running for McHenry County Board because I believe our county's residents need someone to stand up for them and their beliefs. Taxes in our county are ranked in the top 25 (highest) in the nation. This to me does not translate to an effective and efficient government. The county board members cannot continue to sell bonds and use cash to fill their budget requirements. This is just kicking the can down the road and playing a shell game. Taxes are too high and need to be reeled in to help all of the families/people in McHenry County. This is one of my greatest motivations for running for County Board.What differentiates you most from your opponents in the race?I have a unique background and skillset that makes me very qualified to serve on the county board. I am a graduate of Woodstock High School and a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps. During my years of service I was deployed overseas. In recognition of that service, I received a Good Conduct Medal, a Meritorious Mast during a Tsunami Warning for the Island of Oahu and an Honorable Discharge. Locally, as a young adult I worked as a laborer/sheet metal foreman in my family's construction business. By putting in the hours and dedication I moved up within the company to V.P. I then returned to school, and 8 yrs of dedication become a Doctor of Chiropractic. Today I am a practicing Chiropractor in Woodstock. I always valued working/volunteering within our community. By doing this I have served on various civic and fundraising committees for our local Chamber of Commerce, McHenry County College Alumni and Marine Corps League #1009. I also am a member of Moose Lodge #1329, Grace Lutheran Church, and support our local schools and other charitable organizations. I have also volunteered my medical talents abroad with missions. All of these experiences have helped me to understand how to create simple, yet effective solutions to complex problems that seems to be lacking within government today.If you are an incumbent describe your main contributions. Tell us about important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.My contributions can be derived from my past experiences. Being V.P. of our family construction business taught me how to manage a budget. Being in the Marine Corps taught me the discipline that is needed to manage the county's policies going forward. As a Doctor I understand more than most the new Affordable Care Act that will affect everyone in the near future. For example, the cost of healthcare has gone up drastically in the past decade and under the new ACA law these prices will even be greater. This alone could be one of the biggest challenges this county could face in the near term, as board members try to make optimal use of taxpayer resources to ensure that county employees have an adequate level of health care.What should McHenry County be doing to address stormwater and flooding issues throughout the county?Storm water and flooding in our county is obviously concerning when we have a year like this last one where we experienced unusually high amounts of rain. The county board members must work together with our state, county and local municipalities to find ways to respond and mitigate those flooding areas that are most affected. Damage done by water can be devastating to roads and to public and private properties. We need to work with experts employed by Emergency Management Services on appropriate responses to water-related emergencies while also seeking cost effective ways to help reduce the severity of future flooding events.Finally, is there anything we haven't asked about that you feel we should know?The three issues that most families worry most about are jobs, the economy and taxes. Personally, I wonder how our local economy will grow when our taxes are listed among the top 25 highest in the nation. That reality, paired with the fact that Illinois is crippled with debt and overspending problems, creates recipe for overtaxing to continue. People, and more importantly businesses, are leaving our county and state because of these problems. We have to come up with simple fixes to complex problems. Government has over extended itself into our lives with more and more laws and bureaucracy. We must start fixing these problems at our local and county levels first. I believe that I can bring these common sense and reasonable solutions to the people of McHenry County.