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McHenry County Board District 6 is located in the northeastern portion of McHenry County and includes part or all of McHenry, Johnsburg, Spring Grove, Fox Lake, Lakemoor and Ringwood. Carl Kamienski is the incumbent.
Full Name: Carl Kamienski
Office sought: McHenry Board District 6
What is your political party? Republican
Age: 66
Occupation and Employer: Laser Engineer Employer Self
What elected offices, if any, have you previously held? Currently Board Member District 6
Campaign Website:
Town where you live: Johnsburg IL
Education:
Community Involvement:
Chaplin American Legon Post 491
Chaplin Polish Legion of American Veterans post 188
St Johns Knight of Columbus
Johnsburg Community Club Member
Member of Johnsburg Area Business Association
Marital Status/Immediate Family: Married
In under 100 words, please share anything else about your professional or personal background that you want voters to know.
Why are you running for office?
To represent and be the voice of the communities in the district that has not had representation for many decades.
What would you identify as the top three issues currently facing the county board and how would you address them?
To keep our levy flat, find cost saving measures and to ensure that the Sheriff’s Office and State’s Attorney has all the tools they need to keep McHenry County a safe place to live.
If you’re an incumbent, how are you planning to vote on the upcoming budget and tax levy? Aside from the cut in the levy related to the mental health board, do you support additional cuts, or would you support holding the line on any increase? Would you support taxing the maximum allowed under the tax cap and of new EAV growth? If you’re a challenger, how would you approach this issue?
I plan to vote on the option to cut the levy and not to take new growth. I will continue to vote in the future this way. I feel the county has positioned itself that it should never tax the maximum. Governments role is to provide certain services at a minimalist level.
Why shouldn’t voters choose your opponent?
It appears that all my colleagues on the other side of the isle would like to go into debt and raises property taxes. I fought to get out of debt and keep our property taxes as low as possible. Going back to the old way of doing business with tax payer dollars is unacceptable and irresponsible.
Should the Metra, CTA and Pace boards be consolidated into one regional public transportation agency? Why or why not?
No they should not be consolidated, We would lose control and a seat at the table of how business and services are done. The CTA must find a way forward on their own in fixing fiscal responsibilities and services to the citizens they serve.
What are the county’s biggest infrastructure needs and what is your plan for funding them?
I currently sit on the Transportation Committee and have worked diligently in coming up with common sense solutions for our infrastructure. We have many bridges that have been completely redone and continue to have a plan for the future to keep renovating bridges that are in total disrepair and at a cheaper cost repair bridges that don’t need complete remodels. An example is the Johnsburg Rd. bridge that was completed under budget and ahead of schedule.
How do you propose to regulate the use of solar farms in the county? Do you support the expansion of solar farms in unincorporated areas?
The state took away the right to approve or disapprove solar farms locally. I do not support the expansion of solar farms and feel that nuclear plants would be most cost effective, provide the power needed for our area and state, and be the cleanest to our environment. The state subsidizing solar and wind farms is just taxing our citizens more and not getting the results that we need. It also takes away the beauty of our great county!
The county board recently convened a working group on workforce housing whose report found a need for more workforce housing in the county. Do you support the expansion of sub-market workforce housing and should the county be involved in investing in such projects?
Low income housing is best tackled by giving people quality skills so they are able to get quality employment. Quality employment gives for better job opportunities and a better quality of life.
Should the county board limit its votes to “germane” topics as was proposed recently? And should the board be in the business of passing resolutions or flying flags to recognize certain groups or movements?
The issue of flags has been settled. The only flag flown is the US with the POW MIA under it that was signed into law in 2019. We are all us citizens and that is the flag we stand for. Flying any other flag distracts from what our government should be working toward. Separating sub-groups of flags only singles out those groups which is not what we are. We represent everyone while we are in office.
Should the county allow marijuana dispensaries or cultivation centers to operate in unincorporated areas?
I don’t feel that marijuana dispensaries should be allowed on unincorporated areas. There seems to be more and more studies showing the increase of minors using marijuana since it was legalized. These studies have also shown the detriment on people under 25 using marijuana. Our current State’s Attorney has shared these and I believe you are seeing more problems in states that have legalized drugs longer than Illinois.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? no
In your capacity as a private citizen, have you or any business entity in which you have a ownership stake receive a federal PPP loan? If so, what was the amount and is it repaid, forgiven or still outstanding? No
Will you honor the results of the November election, including the presidential race?
I will honor results but also believe that each person running for election has the right to challenge possible irregularities if they so choose. Each person should be heard and their case listened to in the courts. There are processes in place that allow that to happen.