McHenry County board District 4 Hammerand: 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: Wonder LakeWebsite: www.hammerand.comOffice sought: McHenry County board District 4 Age: 62Family: Wife, Cheryl Children, William AprilOccupation: Owner of Service Business for 38 years; Previous Sales Representative for Major Capital EquipmentEducation: College Degree in Business and AccountingCivic involvement: 4-H Fair Judge and Leader for 15 years; McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce McHenry County Fair Association NRA and McHenry County Right to Carry member McHenry Moose Club since 1976 Formerly U.S. Congressional District 8 Republican Platform Committee McHenry Lions Club for 20 years; Twice Past President Past President of Thrivent Financial/North McHenry County Chapter Vice Chairman of McHenry Township Republican Party Vice Chairman of District 5 Republican Committee Greenwood School Volunteer T-Ball Sponsor Coach Miss Wonder Lake Sponsor Jr Miss Wonder Lake Sponsor Vice-President of Wonder Lake JayceesElected offices held: McHenry County Board - presently District 4 â#128;#147; formerly District 5 Member of McHenry County Regional Planning Commission Trustee Treasurer of the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District â#128;#147; 5 years Precinct Committeeman of McHenry Township 33 for 18 years. Director â#128;#147; Master Property Owners Assn of Wonder LakeHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No convictionsQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?To serve the citizens of McHenry County, not the County Bureaucracy. I wish to reduce the load that the County places upon Citizens and Business by taxation and regulation. I have not voted once in my time on the County Board to increase the levy. Sadly, during that time the levy has more than doubled. The Fact that this County is one of the top Taxers in the Nation has finally come to the forefront, and with your help I can lead McHenry County into a more financially transparent and prosperous future.Describe your position regarding the balance between county spending and revenues as it exists today, then describe the chief threats you see looming in the future and how the county should deal with them.Revenues and Expenses should be cut back. The use of non-referendum bonds for benefits today may cripple our ability to provide for the statutory needs of our county in the future. There is a direct relationship between the amount of money in the local economy and the amount of taxes we withdraw from peopleâ#128;™s wallets. Economists call this the Laffer Curve, and President Reagan used this philosophy to reduce taxes and increase National Productivity. It worked for the Nation and it will work for McHenry County.If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?oI was the lone vote opposing the 57% Tax Increases in County Property Taxes that occurred over the last 10 years oMade the deciding vote to move the Veterans Office to the ground floor of the County Administration Building. oIdentified $5.25 Million the County spent yearly to SUBSIDIZE the Federal ICE Prison Program in the McHenry County Jail oIntroduced the Whistleblower Act which was passed into County Law oSucceeded in cutting $400,000 in overspending from the Highway Dept Building contract oVoted against the $137 Million Randall Road CFI as LITH and Algonquin requestedHow do you rate the county government on transparency and the public's access to records? If you consider it adequate, please explain why. If you think improvements are needed, please describe them and why they are important.Opaque at best. We canâ#128;™t release audits. We carry $36 Million in taxpayerâ#128;™s funds in a contingency fund for Valley Hi at less than circ;frac12;% interest. County Board Members and taxpayers donâ#128;™t have free access to view the unadjusted check register so we really donâ#128;™t know what the expenses are. There are unpublicized changes to the Zoning Codes that unreasonably restrict private property use We should release all audits that are not under litigation. The taxpayers should have a description of each check; its purpose, date, number and amount. If we do this, light may yet appear in McHenry County.Name one concrete program youâ#128;™ll create or personnel move youâ#128;™ll make to improve efficiency in the office or make it more successful. Explain how it will be funded and how you will overcome any obstacles to initiating it.McHenry County is top heavy in Administration. EMS has one and one-half employees for each supervisor. The Conservation District has two patrolmen for each supervisor. The County Administrator has three assistant administrators. Where else in Life do these ratios occur? I have protested and voted against each of these decisions, yet they continue to occur. Once the County Board Chairman is elected, the County Administrator position could be eliminated and save the taxpayers $200,000What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The Illinois Attorney General states â#128;œthe county board may, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the members of the board, transfer funds from one account in an Officeholderâ#128;™s budget to another, if both accounts were funded by an appropriation from the same fund within the county treasury. [55 ILCS 5/6-1003] does not however, authorize the transfer of monies from an account funded by an appropriation from one fund to an account funded by an appropriation from another.â#128;ť Our recent Stateâ#128;™s Attorney's opinion confirms my long-held belief the Budget Policy is not in conformity with these laws.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.The Lord God â#128;#147; we certainly need his inspirationWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Frugality and HonestyIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?During my motherâ#128;™s last days, she asked me to attend my grandmotherâ#128;™s funeral out of state. Sadly she passed away and I wasnâ#128;™t there.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Finance and Business helped my career in sales, running my own businesses, as Treasurer for Wonder Lake FPD, and on Finance for the CountyIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Protect your good name; marry your best friend.