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Archive for the ‘2020 Elections’ Category

Endorsement: Illinois State Rep. Dist. 52: Martin McLaughlin

Posted in 2020 Elections, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, Springfield, Taxes on October 5, 2020| 1 Comment »

Martin McLaughlin, the village president of Barrington Hills since 2013, is an advocate for reducing spending and cutting taxes.

He is running in the state’s 52nd House District against Marci Suelzer, a Democrat from Island Lake, and Alia Sarfraz, a Green Party candidate from South Barrington.

The three are seeking to replace longtime state Rep. David McSweeney, who isn’t seeking reelection.

McLaughlin criticized the state for passing a budget this past spring that included a projected $6 billion deficit.

He said that in Barrington Hills, village officials started having conversations in the spring about what the pandemic’s economic impact would look like and what that would mean for village revenues.

“I just want the state to recognize the revenue will not be there and to be proactive about that, whatever that takes as far as reductions in spending or cuts or an overall look,” he said in a group interview with the editorial boards of the Northwest Herald and the Daily Herald.

Read the full Northwest Herald endorsement here.

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Letter: Don’t steal political signs

Posted in 2020 Elections, Letters to the Editor, Politics, Resident Spotlights on October 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »

To the Editor:

For the second time in three weeks, Democratic signs have been vandalized at the crossroads of Plum Tree, Old Hunt and Algonquin roads in Fox River Grove.

Do we not have free speech in this community?

Bullying and vandalism to express political preference are perfect examples of what is wrong with the current state of affairs in our formerly civilized democracy.

Eileen Milano

Barrington Hills

Source

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Letter: Mark Gerhardt for judge

Posted in 2020 Elections, County, Letters to the Editor, McHenry, Politics, Resident Spotlights on October 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »

To the Editor:

Judge Mark Gerhardt is running for Circuit Judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit-4th Subcircuit. I have known Mark as a practicing trial attorney and as a colleague on the bench. In both capacities, Mark has always been prepared, professional and knowledgeable of the law.

He expects no more or no less of those attorneys appearing before him.

A judicial race is not about partisan politics. it is not about gender. There are a number of major considerations in deciding which candidate is best suited for the position of Circuit Judge.

Does the candidate have integrity? Is the candidate impartial? Will the candidate apply the law fairly, without discrimination? Does the candidate have the requisite experience and knowledge to hear and rule on all types of cases, criminal and civil?

Does the candidate have the ability and foresight to improve the Court in its administration of justice and in servicing all the people of McHenry County?

When it comes to Judge Mark Gerhardt, the answer to all of the foregoing questions is unequivocally yes. Mark Gerhardt has all the qualities we deserve to have in our judges in McHenry County.

Maureen McIntyre

Barrington Hills

Source

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Hundreds of boats took part in Sunday Fox River Trump parade

Posted in 2020 Elections, Politics, Resident Spotlights on September 29, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Hundreds of boaters from around the area met at Port Edward Restaurant in Algonquin to take part in a boat parade in support of President Donald Trump on Sunday, with some traveling as far north as McHenry, the event organizer said.

Barrington Hills resident Steven Riggio said the idea for the Trump-themed boat parade came from a discussion he was having with fellow members of “Fleet 17,” a local boating group.

“We were just talking about how our president was getting beat up and said, you know, why don’t we just grab some flags and do a little flotilla to just let him know that there are some people out here that really do appreciate what he’s doing,” he said.

The initial conversations took place over the summer, but Riggio said he wanted to organize the event as close to the November election as possible while still planning it before it got too cold.

After posting a few call-outs on Facebook, Riggio noticed that the event had been picked up by seven different boating clubs in the area.

“It just started to grow quickly,” he said.

Read more here.

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Endorsement: Our choices for McHenry County Board in districts 1, 2 and 5

Posted in 2020 Elections, County, McHenry, Politics on September 25, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Tom Wilbeck

District 1

Voters in the McHenry County Board’s District 1, which includes parts of Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, Barrington Hills, Cary and Fox River Grove, have the choice between three candidates to fill two board seats at stake in the Nov. 3 election.

Incumbent Republicans Tom Wilbeck and Yvonne M. Barnes face a challenge from Democrat Theresa Meshes.

We endorse Wilbeck of Barrington Hills and Barnes of Cary. Both candidates have proved knowledgeable on the county’s issues. Wilbeck and Barnes also have residents’ best interests in mind and support reducing property taxes. Wilbeck is adamant about balancing revenues and expenditures, while Barnes offers a solid plan moving forward with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more here.

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League of Women Voters 52nd District candidate forum Saturday

Posted in 2020 Elections, League of Women Voters, Politics, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes on September 24, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area, lwvpalatinearea.org, has scheduled a virtual, nonpartisan Candidate Forums September 26 from 11 AM to noon to help inform and educate voters prior to the Nov. 3 General Election. Candidates running for the Illinois House of Representatives 52nd District are Martin McLaughlin, Alia Sarfraz and Marci Suelzer.

Register for virtual forum at: https://balibrary.librarycalendar.com/events/illinois-52nd-candidate-forum.

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Voters can size up Sean Casten, Jeanne Ives tonight

Posted in 2020 Elections, Politics on September 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Sean Casten, left, and Jeanne Ives, right, are candidates for the 6th Congressional District race in the 2020 November general election.

With mud being slung on both sides by the candidates and their supporters, the race for Illinois’ 6th Congressional District seat is one of the messier battles in the suburbs.

Ads from incumbent Democrat Sean Casten of Downers Grove and Republican challenger Jeanne Ives of Wheaton have targeted each other, and some Ives campaign signs have been defaced with vulgarities.

Fortunately, you’ll have the opportunity to see Casten and Ives address the issues that have divided them at several virtual debates and forums between now and the Nov. 3 election.

First up is a forum to be held Monday by a coalition of area League of Women Voters groups. It’s scheduled for 7 PM and also will feature Libertarian candidate Bill Redpath of West Dundee.

Registration is limited. To learn more or to register, visit lwvnaperville.org/?event=us-6th-district-congressional-candidate-forum.

Read more here.

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Editorial: Closing Arguments, Part Two: If you support the ‘Pritzker Tax,’ this one’s for you

Posted in 2020 Elections, OP/Ed, Politics, Springfield, Taxes on September 19, 2020| Leave a Comment »

When we present arguments against a graduated income tax — a referendum will be at the top of the November ballot for voters to decide — we hope to convince those of you on the fence. Regular readers of the Tribune editorial page already are familiar with our fiscal policy recommendations and frustration with politicians who have failed for decades to straighten out this state’s spiraling financial mess.

In our view, switching from a constitutionally protected flat tax to a graduated income tax would allow Illinois politicians to tinker with rates — to extract more money from hardworking taxpayers — without forcing them, the politicians, to do the hard work of streamlining government, cutting spending and eliminating the structural deficit that has made this state a deadbeat for more than a decade. It is beyond irresponsible that the state can’t pay for services for its most vulnerable, can’t pay its bills on time and has a credit rating near junk status.

Other states with graduated income tax rates that are running smoothly are running smoothly because they are well-run states — not because of the “magic” of a graduated tax structure.

That’s our take. But to readers undecided, and even for those of you who plan to vote in favor of the graduated tax amendment, give us a shot at trying to change your minds. Unlocking the Illinois Constitution’s flat rate is the wrong path toward a healthy Illinois, which is the outcome we all, regardless of party or politics, want to see. We all strive for the revival of the great state of Illinois. But this is not the way to do it.

Illinois elected officials need to be responsible stewards of the people’s money: Pay the state’s bills on time. Respect taxpayers by spending frugally. Reduce the size and scope of government by focusing on essential services. Offer voters a chance to vote on term limits, redistricting reform and a pension amendment.

Read the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board’s opinions here.

Related: “Editorial: Closing arguments, Part One: Why voters should reject Pritzker Tax”

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Endorsement: McLaughlin for state House Dist. 52

Posted in 2020 Elections, Politics, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, Springfield, Taxes, Village President on September 17, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Martin McLaughlin, left, and Marci Suelzer

The voters in the 52nd Illinois House District have been spoiled by the representation of David McSweeney.

To all those who say individual state representatives are powerless in a General Assembly controlled by legislative leaders, we say look at the performance of the Barrington Hills Republican.

For eight years, McSweeney has served with unmatched energy and tireless efforts at building relationships on both sides of the aisle. and by keenly picking his spots, he’s been uniquely successful at getting things done.

McSweeney will be a tough act to follow, but the voters have two good options to do so — Barrington Hills Village President Martin McLaughlin and Democrat Marci Suelzer of Island Lake, who brings a well-rounded background in legal affairs and mental health.

We recommend McLaughlin, the Republican.

Read the full Daily Herald Editorial Board endorsement here.

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Editorial: Closing arguments, Part One: Why voters should reject Pritzker Tax

Posted in 2020 Elections, OP/Ed, Politics, Springfield, Taxes on September 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other Democratic politicians want voters to profoundly amend the Illinois Constitution. Call their proposal the “Pritzker Tax,” placed on the ballot thanks to exclusively Democratic votes in the General Assembly.

For the first time since Connecticut in 1996, if approved, an American state would switch from a flat income tax to a graduated tax. That is, if you earn five times what your neighbor earns, you must pay five times as much to the state. In 2018, Colorado voters rejected an amendment to convert from flat to graduated. North Carolina and Kentucky have gone the opposite direction, to flat taxes.

The switch hasn’t gone well for Connecticut, where progressively higher income and property taxes have driven residents to other states. The change would be similarly bad for Illinois, which already has lost population for six straight years. As young people abandon this state or don’t return here to start their families and careers, the Illinois Exodus intensifies. Every time a taxpayer departs for Florida, Tennessee or Texas, the tax burden on those of us who remain grows heavier.

So each of us should think skeptically, not reflexively by political tribe, about what the Pritzker Tax would do to Illinois. Five reasons, among others we’ll discuss in future installments, why you should vote it down:

  • The pols haven’t earned trust
  • ‘Save Illinois — and get a tax cut too!’
  • ‘Double pinkie swear, this time is different!’
  • What the Dems don’t admit
  • ‘Let the people vote’

Read the full Chicago Tribune Editorial Board’s opinions here.

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