Brian D. Meyers: 2024 candidate for McHenry County Board District 4

Bio

Party: Democrat

Office Sought: McHenry County Board District 4

City: Crystal Lake (Ridgefield)

Age: 67

Occupation: Retired teacher

Previous offices held: Currently, McHenry ROE board of trustees

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?

I want to help solve problems by working in committee and with colleagues and experts and am particularly interested in taking care for working people and their families in 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?

As a challenger, I would bring a willingness to work with both my fellow Democrats and moderate Republicans, and my priority is to work on actual problems like helping our working families rather than going down rabbit holes that are mostly beyond the board's jurisdiction, such as “gun sanctuaries” and pointless opposition to renewable energy and inclusion of all our citizens.

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.

The most obvious item that should be cut is members' insurance benefits. Most, if not all, are covered by private insurance from other sources or by programs such as Medicare. Our neighbors pay high property taxes in large part because of the state's dereliction in not more adequately supporting public schools. We should all lobby for state and federal help in that regard, because relief will not come from the county, which does not set assessments or the majority of property taxes. The long-term fiscal health of the county would also be enhanced by responsible and well-planned development and by nurturing a diverse and balanced local economy with jobs filled by successful and solvent residents and their middle-class families.

Does there need to be more bipartisanship and cooperation on the county board? If yes, what would you do to help make that happen?

While I would certainly like to be part of flipping the last red collar county blue, the simple fact is that we have come from no members or one or two on a 24-member board to a significant voting bloc that can form coalitions and have collegial problem-solving discussions with the reasonable and moderate members of the other party. The recent bipartisan push to fix the financing of mental health programs, supported even by my usually MAGA friendly opponent, was a demonstration of how well county government can function when we set ideological differences aside. I believe my academic background supports my willingness to study and solve issues together. Also, on issues such as public health and housing, legislators even at the county level can pull together expertise through research and discussion with each other and with other levels of government.

What role should the county play in combating the opioid crisis?

What has been working in McHenry and Lake Counties is the broad-based and task force type of effort. The Lake County Opioid Initiative and the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition are leading efforts that I think are very promising, making the county a clearinghouse for information and expertise and a focal point where law enforcement, substance abuse and mental health professionals, government officials, such as the coroner's office and MCDH, and those suffering from addiction can work together on the same team.

What role should the county play in increasing affordable housing in the region?

Our county, along with our neighbors in, for example, DuPage, Kendall, and Kane counties has been helpful to residents needing more housing choices through the Housing Authorities in each county and information sources such as Affordablehousing.com. We can helpfully combine forces by supporting both affordable housing, for those of limited means, and workforce housing, for employed people of middle or lower incomes. In addition, help may come from seeking solutions in state and federal programs that help through grants or tax policy, especially for first time home buyers, and in the recently proposed state and federal policies to dramatically increase the supple of affordable and workplace housing nationwide.