McHenry Township cuts proposed tax levy by 41%, road district levy by 30%

McHenry Township's Board of Trustees made huge cuts to its proposed property tax levy, along with the levy of its road district Thursday night, after a majority of trustees barred Supervisor Craig Adams, who has COVID-19, from participating in the meeting by phone.

The meeting was marred by awkward moments, outbursts in objection to the massive tax cuts from members of the public, and a confrontational, name-calling spat between Township Clerk Dan Aylward and Trustee Steve Verr.

Motions by Verr to cut the McHenry Township Road District Commissioner James Condon's proposed road district levy of $3 million by about 30% carried with 3-1 board votes.

Verr also attempted to cut the township's general fund levy from $1.2 million to just $226,000, but his motion failed in a 2-2 tie with Trustee Bob Anderson joining Verr in support of the motion.

Several other proposals that ranged from $950,000 to a $400,000 also failed in 2-2 votes. The series of tie votes was the result of the board's decision in a 3-1 to not allow Adams to participate remotely. Adams said he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 for the past three weeks.

Remote participation is allowed if the board voted to authorize it, township attorney James Militello said.

Trustee Stan Wojewski was the only board member opposed to all motions to deflate the levies. Trustee Mike Rakestraw was opposed to the $1 million cut to the township's main levy, but supported the cuts to the road district levy.

Township staff told trustees the local government would not have enough to operate for a full year under the $226,000 originally proposed by Verr.

"I'm trying to cut as much as possible without being irresponsible," Rakestraw said.

The board eventually settled on passing on a $750,000 main township levy with an additional $50,000 for the general assistance fund in a 3-1 vote, with Wojewski the sole dissent.

"What we're trying to do is rein the township in," verr said, adding the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic warrants large tax breaks. "The township exists because it extracts money from taxpayers."

"We're going to work within our means and have dramatic cuts," he continued. "We won't be able to function on the old budget, we're going to function on a new budget. We're not backing the budget into a levy. We will budget accordingly."

At multiple points, Verr asked Anderson to remove members of the audience when they raised concerns during the course of board discussion with the proposed tax cuts.

Verr also pondered what would happen if the board failed to pass a levy and was told by Militello that the township would not be able to collect property taxes if it fails to meet the deadline to file a levy with the county clerk's office.

The move to cut the road district's levy raises legal questions, Militello said, because the law states that the road district commissioner must determine the levy with the board's approval.

Verr pushed back on that interpretation, saying if the Board of Trustees has the power to approve the road district commissioner's levy, it also has the power to disapprove.

"I think we made history," Verr said. "We're going to be at the forefront of showing what can be done in a state where spending is out of control."

"Nazi Germany made history, too," Aylward interjected.