Lori Parrish: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: Crystal LakeWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Office sought: McHenry County board District 5 Age: 50Family: I've been a resident of Illinois all of my life. I was raised in Mt. Prospect. Currently, I am a resident of Crystal Lake (21 years) with my husband, Rob, and our 16 yr old son, Casey.Occupation: Administrator in Public EducationEducation: Bachelor in Psychology from Illinois State University Master in Teaching from National Louis UniversityGraduate Human Resources Management certificate from University of PhoenixProfessional Coaching Certification from Fielding UniversityCivic involvement: Leadership Greater McHenry County (LGMC) active alumnus (since 2005)Commissioner for the Crystal Lake Fire and Police Board (since 2010)Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Member (since 2016) Elected offices held: None Questions Answers The county board chairman often references high property taxes as the greatest issue facing McHenry County. What steps would you take to address this problem?High property taxes is one of the crucial issues facing McHenry County. I would look to continue to find sustainable cuts or reductions identified by board committees or county staff, that are in the best interest or intent of county residents. I would also advocate for the rewriting of job descriptions and/or consolidating departments, as staff is reduced due to attrition.How do you think the Valley Hi Nursing Home should be operated, and what should be done about it's multimillion-dollar surplus?I find Valley Hi to be one of our greatest assets and its success is a direct correlation to the hard work and dedication to the service we provide our residents, by the staff and administration.I would look to hold the levy flat and utilize the surplus monies in reserve to meet the needs of the residents. I would keep the current budget surplus due to the underestimated demand for nursing home care as our population experiences a surge over the next ten years of residents turning 65 and older.What is your position on government consolidation? Are there areas of government in McHenry County that strike you as prime candidates for such consideration?I think there are some obvious elements of redundancy and duplication of services in government. Most of these can be observed at the township level. Until there has been an in depth fiscal study to show the anticipated saved monies and a true measure of future services delivered, I cannot support the general notion for complete consolidation.How do you rate the county government on transparency and the public's access to records? Please explain.I have found staff in all departments to be both courteous and responsive to my needs for information and/or services. Quality customer service and easy access to public records is of the utmost importance in county government.Should small amounts of recreational marijuana be legalized and taxed? Please elaborate on your position.No, it's illegal for a reason. It's an addictive, harmful drug and if we lower the threshold of acceptance, it will lower the tolerance of under age use.This is a state decision, not county. The state needs to look to control spending and reduce current taxes rather than look to the latest "fad" for trying to raise more money to get out of debt.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Other issues that are important to me include; raising awareness of and providing services for combating the Opiod epidemic, environmental protection of our natural resources, implementing small business incentives to grow the economy, stimulating job growth through business friendly policies, and the hope for smaller government.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.My husband is a local leader who recently became a trustee in our township. He inspires me every day to give back to our community.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The biggest lesson I learned growing up was to be kind and caring to others.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would spend more time with my mother, in my adult life, as she was taken to early from our family.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I loved reading in school and now spend time reading whatever I can to help me grow and strive to be a better person.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I frequently tell our son to figure out what he loves to do and find a career in which he'll get to do just that.