McHenry Times

McHenry County has mixed referendum results.

The Village of Greenwood on Nov. 6 did not pass a referendum that stated: "Shall the Village of Greenwood, McHenry County, Illinois be authorized to levy a new tax for roadway maintenance purposes and to have an additional tax of .25% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein extended for such purposes?"

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 54 voted in favor and 91 were opposed.

The McHenry Township measure—"Shall the Road District of the Township of McHenry be abolished with all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities being assumed by the Township of McHenry?"—also did not pass.

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 5,279 voted in favor and 11,557 opposed.

The City of McHenry referendum was also shot down:"Shall the City of McHenry, McHenry County, Illinois, build an addition to the McHenry Recreation Center that will include an indoor pool, a gymnasium and an outdoor family aquatic park and issue its bonds, in an amount not to exceed $30,000,000, to construct these improvements? Annually, for twenty years, the increase to the City of McHenry’s portion of a property tax bill would not exceed $1.08 per $1,000 of the “fair cash value”of the taxable property, according to the records of the McHenry County Treasurer?"

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 3,854 voted in favor and 6,065 were opposed.

A county board member referendum, "Effective for the General Election to be held November 8, 2022, and each subsequent election thereafter, and excluding service prior to said election,shall there be term limits for the Office of County Board member as follows:No person shall be eligible to seek election to or hold the Office of County Board member who has previously held said office for twelve (12) years cumulative?" passed.

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 104,181 voted in favor and 9,294 were opposed.

A county chairman referendum—"Effective for the General Election to be held on November 3, 2020, and each subsequent election thereafter, and excluding service prior to said election,shall there be term limits for the Office of County Board Chairman as follows: No person shall be eligible to seek election to or hold the Office of County Board Chairman who has previously held said office for two (2) full terms or ten (10) years?"—also passed.

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 104,173 voted in favor and 9,036 were opposed.

The William Rainey Harper Community College District NO. 512 Proposition to Issue $180,000,000 General Obligation Community College Bonds  passed. The question on the ballot asked: "Shall the Board of Trustees of William Rainey Harper Community CollegeDistrict No. 512, Counties of Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry and State of Illinois, acquire real property, build and equip new buildings, build and equip additions to and alter, equip, repair and renovate existing buildings of the District and issue the bonds of said Community College to an amount not to exceed $180,000,000 for said purposes?"

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 877 voted in favor and 588 were opposed.

Hebron Township's referendum asked" "Shall the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension LimitationLaw for Hebron Township, McHenry County, Illinois, be increased from the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to 7.31% per year for 2018?" The measure did not pass.

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 315 voted in favor and 609 were opposed.

The Community High School District Number 156, McHenry and Lake Counties referendum passed. The measure asked: "Shall the Board of Education of McHenry Community High School District Number 156, McHenry and Lake Counties, Illinois, build and equip additions to alter, repair, equip and improve the sites of the McHenry West High School Campus and the McHenry East High School Campus, including, without limitation: improving student safety, security and learning environments; constructing infrastructure improvements including roofs, ventilation, environmental units, doors, plumbing, electrical improvements, parking lots, walkways and other ADA compliance improvements at both campuses; constructing a Science, Technology and Industry Center at West Campus; expanding West Campus to add classrooms to replace 26- year-old mobile classrooms and to accommodate additional students; and renovating East Campus classrooms; and issue bonds of said School District to the amount of $44,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?"

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 9,229 voted in favor and 7,145 were opposed.

The Marengo Park District Advisory Referendum did not pass.  It asked for, "Re-opening the pool located within Indian Oaks Park of the Marengo Park District will require a significant property tax increase in order to pay the costs of investigating the current state of the pool, repairing and rebuilding the pool and maintaining it in the future. Should the investigation of the current state of the pool be approved, an additional significant property tax increase will be required to pay for the building, repairing and maintaining of the pool for the future. Do you support investigating the re-opening of the pool located within Indian Oaks Park of the Marengo Park District, which, if re-opened, will require a significant increase in the property taxes? And if so, would you approve a significant increase to your property taxes to acquire monies not exceed $150,000 to pay for the investigation of the current state of the pool."

With 100 percent of the votes counted, 672 voted in favor and 1,814 were opposed.