McHenry County Board District 5 candidates talk transportation, taxes

Improving McHenry County's transportation infrastructure, keeping the county's tax levy flat, cutting operational costs, and creating jobs were top priorities for candidates running for two seats on the McHenry County Board representing District 5.

Incumbents Democrat Paula Yensen, 65, of Lake in the Hills, and Republican John Jung, 66, of Woodstock, will face Republican challenger Michael Rein, 49, of Woodstock, in the Nov. 4 election.

McHenry County has had a frozen tax levy the last two years. Its nearly $244 million 2014 budget represents a 2.46 percent decrease from the previous year's expenditures.

"I think we could keep the tax levy flat for a while," said Jung, who was first elected to the county board in 1994 and serves as the board vice chairman.

He added the county has done a good job of cutting expenses, including eliminating 64 vacant positions and reducing its budget by roughly $10 million over the past three years.

Yensen said she also doesn't see a need to increase the tax levy in the foreseeable future.

"Especially with the declining population that we've experienced for the last two years, I believe in smaller government," she said.

Yensen, a board member since 2008, said the county has worked to reduce workers' compensation claims and instituted safety programs. There is still government waste in other areas, she added.

She said county officials are working to contain health care costs by encouraging wellness programs and getting employees to be healthier. "We are self-insured and we need to start getting a handle on that," she said.

She also supports eliminating certain employee positions, such as the auditor and county coroner, and outsourcing information technology and other internal services.

"We need to flatten out the government structure so that we have more efficiency," she said.

Rein, who could not be reached for comment, said in a candidate questionnaire that while the tax levy has stayed flat, the county's overall tax budget has increased.

"The amount of tax money from property owners has gone up considerably throughout the past six years," he said. "In the long run, you're playing a shell game with taxpayers' money and we all know what happens in the future when government does this. We have to start making tough choices to solidify our budget for the future."

The candidates identified the need for improvements to the transportation infrastructure and creating jobs as among the biggest issues facing the county.

Rein said among his top priorities is "creating sustainable economic growth by encouraging job creation through a friendly and welcoming business environment."

Jung said upgrading the transportation infrastructure is "a quality-of-life issue."

"We need to be able to move goods and people, trucks and cars through the county," he said.

Jung said the county needs to work on public/private partnerships to lobby for a full-access interchange at Route 23 and Interstate 90, similar to the new interchange at Route 47 and I-90 in Huntley.

Yensen said McHenry County's transportation system is fragmented. She said the Route 47 widening project is another major key to reducing traffic congestion and will involve a consortium of agencies working together. She supports providing a better transit system for the county's elderly residents and pushing for an Amtrak stop in Huntley.