GOP Candidates look at budget, job rentention; McHenry Co. Board 5

Three candidates are vying the Republican nominations for two seats from District 5 on the McHenry County Board.

Tina Hill, a Woodstock resident, is seeking re-election to the seat she has held for eight years. Former board Vice Chairman John Jung, also a Woodstock resident, is hoping to recapture the seat he lost in 2008.

David Frederick, who also lives in Woodstock, is hoping to parlay his decade of criticizing the board into a seat on the body.

Not surprisingly, the central issue this year is how candidates would manage the county's budget and keep jobs and businesses in McHenry County.

Hill, a legislative assistant to state Rep. Mike Tryon, supports a salary freeze, an ongoing hiring freeze and, if needed, furlough days for county employees. Hill is against raising taxes and fees to solve the county's budget woes.

"I believe government's role is to keep regulations to a minimum so businesses can thrive," Hill wrote in a Daily Herald candidate questionnaire.

Jung, a small-business owner, says the county should continue its partnership with the McHenry County Economic Development Corp. and McHenry County College to attract employers. He also believes road improvements should be a critical piece of the county's economic strategy.

"We need to keep working on our roads," Jung said. "Without a good roads system, it's hard to get people to come out here."

Frederick, a veterinarian who tends to horses, proposes dramatic changes to help reduce the burden on taxpayers. Frederick wants to slash the county board from 24 members to 18 or 12, impose term limits on board members and cut taxes.

"I would cut all the taxes," Frederick said.