Attacks against Franks are laughable

The good old boy attacks in State Representative Jack Franks are laughable. They call Jack a "liar" because he changed his mind and decided to run for McHenry County Board chairman, and they call him "crooked" because he served more than three terms in the House of Representatives.

I am glad that Jack listened to his constituents and stayed longer than he initially planned in Springfield. Jack is often the only voice of reason in the capitol. Without him, Blagojevich would never have been impeached. Jack conducted the first audits ever of a sitting governor in Illinois history. He rooted out corruption in his own party and has been a true reformer that we can rely on.

Jack also single-handedly stopped Madigan's millionaire tax as well as a progressive tax increase. Without Jack's leadership in Springfield, McHenry County would not even be on the political map.

I fully understand his decision to now seek the county board chairmanship. Our county has fought Jack on his reform efforts that would save taxpayer money. The board has hired lobbyists without tax dollars to fight Jack's efforts to lower our property taxes. The board even came out against Jack's consolidation law that allows the county to streamline and reduce government. Jack simply wants to implement the reforms he has passed to help McHenry County. The only way that will happen is if he is the new chairman of the county board. The present county board essentially forced him into this decision. McHenry County needs Jack Franks as its board leader if we are ever to have real reforms and tax relief.

Robert Hoerter

Crystal Lake