Q&A with Mary McCann, Diane Evertsen and Dennis Palys
In the race to represent District 6 on the McHenry County Board of Trustees, incumbent Mary T. McCann of Woodstock, a Republican, is challenged by Republican Diane Evertsen of Harvard and Democrat Dennis Palys of Wonder Lake.
Q. What is your Number 1 campaign issue?
McCann. Improving communication between District 6 residents and the County's departments of Transportation, Planning and Development, and Public Health.
Evertsen. There is currently a lack of trust by citizens apparent at all levels of government, causing a disconnect between our citizens and their representatives. Real transparency in both government activity and personal holdings of elected officials can, to a large degree, positively impact the credibility which has been lost. Representatives are elected to serve their constituency and that must re-immerge as the primary focus of public office.
Palys. I entered the race to give District 6 voters a better choice. We do not need another county board member in bed with a township official, literally. We need elected officials who can objectively evaluate the relationship of county government to township expenses, not someone anointed by the township.
Q. What is your Number 2 campaign issue?
McCann. Need for building a strong intergovernmental initiative for assessing land uses for their impact on water supply resources and stormwater management practices.
Evertsen. Conservation of both our water supplies and our agricultural land and open spaces is of great importance to residents of District 6. Maintaining the quality of our water and the volume available will have a large impact on the future livability of our area. Preservation and management of agricultural land is imperative if we are to continue feeding our own citizens as well as others. The appeal of District 6 includes our open spaces, agricultural enterprises, small rural communities, and our constituency recognize and appreciate the need for increased good stewardship of our assets.
Palys. I favor smart growth for our county by directing growth to municipalities to facilitate cost-effective public services. I would support creating a system that would allow farmers to presell development rights, and encourage developers to ‘invest' in open space by funding the purchase of those development rights, thereby giving farmers more choices while preserving our county's prime farmland.
Q. As revenues, both from local sources and the state, are likely to keep falling in the year ahead, how should the county adjust its spending priorities related to the office you are seeking? Please be as specific as possible.
McCann. Review and re-prioritize its programs every 6 months.
Plan and fund projects that improve efficiency and processing, thereby managing costs. These can be accomplished through improved interdepartmental document exchange, expanded record sharing, and an improved document archival system.
Evertsen. I believe revenues will continue to fall for the next two years at least and, therefore, conservative spending is a must. Limitation of expenditures must be placed on new as well as existing programs. The delivery system by which services are conveyed must be re-examined to give taxpayers the best possible service for the least possible cost.
Palys. Capital expenditures, such as the planned addition of the Public Safety Building to the county campus, may need to be postponed. A careful monitoring of needed and unneeded services will have to continue on into the future, even after the economy recovers.
Q. The McHenry County Board this summer froze salaries for its members, as well as those of the sheriff, treasurer and county clerk. Do you support the pay freeze? Why or why not?
McCann. I did support the salary freeze. County revenues need to be managed prudently in these difficult economic times. Freezing salaries is a prudent approach to managing revenues and keeping people employed.
Evertsen. As public servants, elected officials must be cognizant of concerns and conditions facing their constituency. While many taxpayers are unemployed or underemployed, the last thing they need is a larger tax burden to increase salaries of their civil servants. I commend the Board for their decision to freeze salaries.
Palys. Yes, real wages have been falling for more that just the past two years. Elected officials' salaries should reflect that.
Q. According to the U.S. Census, McHenry County's Hispanic population grew from about 19,600 in 2000 to about 36,000 in 2008. What challenges does that present for the office you seek, and how would you address them?
McCann. This county has accepted many waves of immigrants. The challenges for the County comes when cultural differences impact individual property rights. Facilitating understanding of cultural differences and individual property rights, and balancing community wants and needs, are the major challenges for county government. Education of new property owners on county regulations, and continuing neighborhood meetings are ways to address these challenges.
Evertsen. According to the U.S. Census, McHenry County has seen growth in many ethnic populations. Growth of any kind will present challenges including jobs, transportation and services available, each of which must be addressed weighing the needs and costs.
Palys. Hispanics are a hardworking portion of our population and will play a role in our economic revitalization. A recovery in jobs and a recovery in wages are needed for all segments of our society so that we can all share in a reasonable prosperity and standard of living.
Q. Kane County, which like McHenry initially banned video gaming machines from bars and other approved establishments, now will allow the machines. Should McHenry County follow suit, or should it remain opposed? How is your position best for county voters?
McCann. Video gaming as a significant source of revenues for the State and potential for jobs in the County has been oversold. Supporting data was collected during strong economic times. Given the significant business investment in setting up such machines, along with the known addiction impacts that gambling creates, it is difficult to see the value of video gaming to McHenry County.
Evertsen. McHenry County voters in District 6, as well as other Districts, have made it clear that they do not favor licensing and taxing these machines as another revenue source for our legislators. While politicians want to recognize the prospects of additional revenues, not many are willing to acknowledge the costs taxpayers will be saddled with in an attempt to help participants with gambling addictions. I believe, along with the constituency of District 6, that the cost of this additional revenue stream is entirely too high.
Palys. We have chosen, rightly or wrongly, to supplement our tax dollars with gambling proceeds. Businesses sign up for lottery machines to support their sales; it would be inconsistent to allow one and not the other. I would much rather see Internet gambling ended. We can use the local revenue, we don't have to be avid supporters.
Q. McHenry received a two-year delay on a deadline to create a drug court, leaving it as the only collar county without one. Do you agree with the postponement? Should the county set up a court sooner? If so, what are the obstacles? How would you fund it?
McCann. I am extremely disappointed with the postponement. Given the success of the Mental Health Court in McHenry County, I would like to see a drug court established ASAP. Using what other collar counties have learned should help to speed up the development and implementation process. Initial Court costs should be funded with court fees similar to Mental Health Court, with the anticipation of a reduction in costs associated with repeat offenders.
Evertsen. Before McHenry County jumping in to a new program I would like to have information from areas which have had drug court programs for an extended period of time. That would allow us to assess their success against the costs to the taxpayers and see for how long any recidivism rate is forestalled. Initiating a new program just because other areas have done so does not necessarily serve our citizens appropriately, especially when we already recognize the scarcity of available funding. Again, we must be aware that the cost of every new program is borne by our taxpayers, and they are currently weighted down by their tax load.
Palys. “A successful program, (Dan) Wallis said, could significantly decrease crime and its costs financial and otherwise in the county.” Based on this statement I think starting the drug court sooner instead of later would be advantageous.
The States Attorney's office has begun a first offender program intended to speed court cases and save money. This may be a source of revenue for the drug court.
Name of Candidate: Mary T. McCann
Hometown: Woodstock
Running for: McHenry County Board District 6
Party affiliation: Republican
Candidate Incumbent? Yes