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Name:
Christine Bassi
What office are you seeking?
McHenry Mayor
What is your political party?
Candidate did not respond.
What is your current age?
68
Occupation and employer:
I am retired from a 30+ year career in corporate finance.
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
I have represented Ward 4 on City Council since May 1, 2023.
City:
McHenry
Campaign Website:
Education:
I have an MBA with an emphasis in finance.
Community Involvement:
I am a volunteer with Cycling Without Age, a nonprofit organization that provides free trishaw rides to seniors. Not only does this organization provide seniors the opportunity to enjoy a safe outdoor experience, it helps to combat senior isolation and loneliness.
Marital status/Immediate family:
Candidate did not respond.
Questions:
Should housing be included in development proposals for the city-owned land on Green Street? For the Wastewater treatment plant property? What is, for you, the right combination of commercial, parking and residential for the two downtown areas, including residential density?
The City does not control the border of our Downtown, with IL-31 and IL-120 being state-controlled highways and the Fox River being immovable. This means that McHenry has no option but to be extremely thoughtful for all Downtown development so as to not create congestion that the City does not have the jurisdiction to properly address through road expansion. According to data released from the US Census Bureau, Wonder Lake was the fastest-growing municipality in Illinois from April 2020 to July 2023. Future growth will be driven primarily by the under-construction Stonewater housing development, a new residential neighborhood of 3,700 homes located near the McHenry border. The primary access road to the Stonewater housing development is IL-120. From Stonewater, the majority of development and commerce is east along IL-120 so it is safe to state that traffic along IL-120 in McHenry will significantly increase as the Wonder Lake population grows.
Per a 2023 analysis by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the average daily traffic on the 0.3 miles stretch of IL-120 that connects IL-31/Front Street to IL-31/Richmond Road is 31,500 automobiles. The distance from the intersection of IL-120/Richmond Road and the intersection of IL-120/Green Street is 350 feet. Because of this, any commercial or housing structures that will increase traffic and congestion should not be constructed on Green Street. The City-owned properties on Green Street are the public parking lots and they should remain public parking lots, albeit with optimization and landscaping. For the former wastewater treatment plant site, Waukegan Road is the only access road. Developing this property would either result in unsafe congestion on Waukegan Road or require using eminent domain to acquire private property to build an additional access road, which is unacceptable. A better use of this property would be to create a community park.
Should the city work with District 15 to sell/redevelop Landmark School, and if so, what kind of development?
Per the District 15 School Board, the Landmark building is being sold because it is “unnecessary, unsuitable and inconvenient.” Rather than being sold, discussions should take place to transfer the property from one entity funded by taxpayers (the School Board) to another entity funded by taxpayers (the City). This would solve the problem of the District 15 School Board owning a property they no longer require and the City’s desire to preserve the building for public use, if that actually is their desire. Because it is a school, the layout of multiple classrooms is ideal for a Community Center. By designating the building as an all-age free Community Center, the City could look into funding the rehabilitation of Landmark through government grants and charitable donations. With this initiative, the City would not only be preserving a historic building, but also be making a long-term investment in the well-being of residents.
The parks department says the pool complex is nearing its end of life. What should the future of water recreation/pools be for the city of McHenry?
The Illinois Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Grant (OSLAD Grant) is a state program that dollar-for-dollar matches City funds for the purpose of improving municipal parks. In 2024, Lake Bluff and Rockford each received $600,000 towards improvements for their community pools. McHenry has not applied for this grant but should to help fund the improvements needed for the pool complex on Green Street. In terms of funding a new complex, it cannot happen without both a tax hike and a significant spending reduction, which means less attention to neighborhood parks and fewer roads and sidewalks maintained. This is also a proposal that has been twice rejected.
In the November 2018 election, a $30,000,000 referendum for an expansion of the McHenry Recreation Center to include an indoor and outdoor pool and gymnasium was overwhelmingly rejected by 61.13% of voters. Because of this, in December 2023, City Council rejected placing a nearly identical referendum on the April 2024 ballot, but this time with a $45,000,000 price tag.
Many of the new housing developments planned or recently built throughout the McHenry County area have been multi-family rather than single-family, and many are rentals rather than owner-occupied. What are your views on this trend? Do you support this type of development? Why or why not?
The appeal of suburban living has historically been, and continues to be, home ownership. The City should be dictating to developers what the residents want, not allowing corporate landlords who overwhelming do not live in the community they develop to tell us what they think we need. Residents overwhelming want what used to be called “starter homes” - affordable, modest-size homes to own. Corporate landlords tell us we need more rentals though because that’s how the market is trending but that is only true, in that, they are artificially driving the demand for rentals by no longer building single family homes to own. The reality is the demand only exists because of the market they have created and the municipalities that have allowed them to do this. McHenry needs to take a firm stance against these developers. It is important to remember that open land does not have to be developed, it can be developed. Markets change, so if the majority of the current options for development are from corporate landlords whose sole incentive is continued profit streams versus single-family home ownership builders, delaying development is a viable option because once a corporate landlord gets a foothold on the local housing market, they do not leave.
A recent study commissioned by the McHenry County Board found a need for more workforce housing in the county. Do you support any form of subsidized housing to address that need? Is there enough affordable housing in the community and, if not, how would you attempt to address that?
The Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC) is in the process of constructing Taylor Place, a 50-unit development for individuals and families with an income level range from 30 to 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Once construction is complete and units are occupied, the City can then seek community feedback and assess any future housing. In terms of sufficient affordable housing, there is not enough anywhere and one of the reasons housing has become so unaffordable is the rise of the “institutional investor.” In 2022, one in every four homes sold across the United States was purchased by an institutional investor. While the City does not have control over who purchases a home, the City can ensure corporate landlords are not given approval to develop. This would be an important step to help with housing affordability because corporate landlords raise rent and fees at much more aggressive rates than other types of landlords and are a main driver of the affordable housing shortage.
Should local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to identify and deport immigrants who do not have legal status to be in the United States?
In 2017, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the TRUST Act into law. This law generally prohibits local law enforcement from participating in immigration enforcement. In 2020, four County Sheriffs, including the McHenry County Sheriff, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop the enforcement of the TRUST ACT, arguing that it conflicted with federal law and interfered with sworn duties. This case was dismissed in federal court and that dismissal was upheld in appellate court. Recently, there have been instances where Illinois police departments have been sued over violating the TRUST Act. Regardless of anyone’s personal position on this, the TRUST Act is the law that police departments must follow. If local law enforcement does cooperate, they will open the City up to potential lawsuits that the taxpayer will fund and potential settlements that the taxpayer will also fund.
What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?
Equal Attention and Funding Attention and funding is not equal throughout the City, with too much attention given to the Downtown District at the expense of other neighborhoods.
A prime example of this is parks funding. From FY17/18 to FY24/25, aside from general maintenance and vandalism repairs, six parks received $0 in funding and six parks received a one-time $2,800 or less in funding for improvements. One of the parks that received $0 is Cold Springs Park, McHenry’s largest natural park at 46 acres. In contrast, Downtown’s Miller Point Park received $2,500,000 in funding in FY23/24.
Equal funding would not mean the same dollar amount spent in every park since passive neighborhood parks do not require the funding that active parks require. However, a fairer allocation needs to be a priority so residents in all parts of McHenry have equal attention and funding and neighborhoods are more balanced.
In terms of commerce, McHenry has staff dedicated to attracting businesses to the City. However, the current administration has required an inordinate amount of staff’s time to be directed towards Downtown development. The City can create a more balanced McHenry where equal attention and funding is given to the entire town, not just Downtown, by redirecting focus to other parts of town, including the west end of IL-120 and the vacant storefronts along the north end of IL-31.
More Transparent Government The Open Meetings Act (OMA) dictates that the default position for all meetings that include a majority of a quorum be open to the public and press. This law does not mean that three or more elected officials can never be in the same room together, but, rather when official City business is conducted, the public must be notified and included.
The buying or selling of property for public use is a classification that is abused. On April 29, 2024, elected officials and City staff boarded a chartered bus with a representative from Shodeen to tour multiple properties. Despite the purpose of the tour being for elected officials and staff to view Shodeen developments rather than discuss the buying or selling of property for public use, this tour was a closed meeting.
A private tour of public properties is never appropriate under the narrow guidelines of what can be discussed in a closed meeting. The guidelines of the OMA exist to protect the public’s right to be informed about the decisions and deliberations of their government. The guidelines of the OMA do not exist to protect developers from scrutiny from the public or press.
Transparency will be the default and abuse of closed meetings will not happen under my administration.
Ending the TIF for the Downtown District In 2002, the Downtown District was designated a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) zone.
When a TIF zone is created, the base value of property within the TIF zone is locked in for taxation purposes. This means that, regardless of actual property value, the base value is the dollar amount the taxing bodies will base their levy off of until the designated TIF period ends. The properties within the TIF district are still subject to regular assessments, but, as their property values increase and higher taxes are paid, that difference does not go to the taxing bodies. The taxing bodies still receive their requested amount but it is without the fair contribution of the TIF zone.
The additional property tax collected from the actual value over the base value goes into a Special Tax Increment Allocation Fund that can only be spent within the TIF district, either for public use or private use projects. Projects funded through the Special Tax Increment Allocation Fund are done so entirely with money that would have otherwise gone to the taxing bodies if the property was outside of the TIF zone.
The Downtown TIF District was set to expire in 2025 after the maximum-allowed 23 year designation. However, in 2022, the City approved a 12-year extension of the TIF district. TIF eligibility requires the presence of blight and stipulates that development could not occur in the area without the incentive of TIF financing. The City either has to legitimately believe that the Downtown TIF District was still so badly blighted in 2022 that it necessitated an additional 12 years designation OR needs to admit that this extension was abused for the purpose of keeping funds in the Mayor’s favored part of town.
TIF districts can be terminated prior to the designated end date provided all financial obligations related to the redevelopment are paid off. This is something the City should prioritize so the Downtown District starts paying their fair share of taxes to the schools, library, fire department…
How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?
When deciding on future land use, it is important to remember that once open green space is gone, it is gone forever. The benefits of open green space to a community are immeasurable, with numerous studies citing both the mental and physical health benefits of spending time in nature.The former wastewater treatment plant site is a City-owned peninsula on a large plot of unused land in the Downtown District idyllically situated where Boone Creek meets the Fox River. Rather than develop this unique property, this land should be converted to an open space public park for the community with wheelchair and stroller-accessible paths. Because of the high potential for contaminated land underneath due to the previous use, the park should focus on flora that will contribute to the remediation of the soil, as well as reintroducing native trees and plants to the area.
What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?
State lawmakers are currently discussing reforms to the Metra train and Pace Bus transit systems. If there are service cuts, the McHenry Metra has a high probability of being affected since we already have limited service, are not located along the main IL-14 path, and neighboring Crystal Lake has two stations. The Pace Bus is different because, if cuts are made, the City could work with the County and Township to explore alternatives.McHenry, like most suburbs, is car-dependent. Even if a public alternative was available, we need to be realistic on the demand for it so the City is not funding services that will not be used. What we should do is create more safe and accessible bike paths connecting different parts of the City, as well as more bike racks throughout the City to encourage car-free transportation options.
What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?
The City Council does not play a major role in attracting new businesses. That is one of the functions of the Mayor and the City’s economic development department. While Council can suggest businesses to approach, it would be inappropriate and ineffective to not go through the proper City channels.
What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?
In February 2024, City Council was able to narrowly defeat allowing set open container hours in the Downtown District centered along the streets of Green, Main, and Riverside from May 1st to October 31st. These streets are separated by IL-120 and IL-31 and alcohol consumption would have been permitted along those busy crossings. The majority of residents were not in favor of open container, citing concerns about public intoxication, littering, drunk driving, potential increase in crime, and safety concerns due to a lack of physical barrier between the open portions of the Riverwalk and the Fox River.I am repeatedly hearing from residents that McHenry has too many events that focus too heavily on drinking and allowing open container. No one is suggesting McHenry become a dry town, but the safety and health of residents needs to be prioritized. In terms of future safety concerns, the push for a covered parking garage on Green Street is concerning. Ask any woman if she feels safe in a covered parking garage alone at night. That answer alone is why a covered parking garage should never be considered.
How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?
The City can do a better job reaching out to residents by expanding free programs, particularly to seniors and teens, two underserved demographics in our community. Free programs for senior and teens can be done at the Recreation Center with limited interruption to current users by designating one of the two dance/exercise studios to senior citizens in the morning and to teens in the evening. Programs should start with a loose structure, with each group eventually designing and leading their own programs in a cooperative environment. The benefit of this type of program structuring is it increases community involvement and fosters a sense of belonging among participants, helping to alleviate both the loneliness and isolation both groups can face.
Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?
Anyone receiving a salary from the City should be required to disclose potential conflicts of interest. The Statement of Economic Interest is a mandatory annual filing that elected officials submit that disclose financial holdings. The purpose of this disclosure is so voters can identify any potential conflicts of interest in a Mayor’s agenda or a City Council member’s votes. For instance, if an elected official has ownership in multiple businesses, either full or partial, in a portion of the City that receives an inordinate amount of City resources, funding, and attention, this is an important disclosure and information that voters have a right to know.These filings can be viewed online at McHenry County’s website. It is important to view the disclosures for ALL years an elected official is in office to confirm that ownership or partial ownership of a business has been consistently reported. While the form requires filing, it does not require accuracy, meaning, an elected official can intentionally omit disclosure and there is no recourse because the County only acts as a filing cabinet. If these assets including business or real estate holdings are not consistently and explicitly disclosed individually, it is fair if the public concludes there might be a reason for this. Because the County does not enforce accuracy, the City should have an ordinance requiring accurate disclosures. Once an ordinance is in place, a resident can file an ethics complaint with the City against an elected official if the Statement of Economic Interest is not truthfully disclosed. The City should further put in place a more balanced Ethics Committee so individual(s) are not exclusively picked by the Mayor. To ensure fairness, the Ethics Committee should be a panel of three individuals: one appointee chosen by the Mayor, one appointee chosen by City Council, and one appointee chosen by the City Administrator.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
In addition to set office hours, I would like to establish quarterly town hall meetings where residents have an open forum to bring their questions/concerns to all City elected officials. City Council meetings are poorly attended because they follow set procedures that do not encourage resident participation. However, by having quarterly town hall meetings with a looser structure that encourages interaction, residents will be given an open platform for dialogue with elected officials.
What I will not have is a Facebook account. Social media use has been proven to increase depression, anxiety, isolation, harassment, self-esteem issues, and polarization. While people are free to participate, I do not believe an official government channel should exist that is so divisive.
Additionally, elected officials, such as a Mayor, need to be extremely cautious with how Facebook is used. If an elected official uses a Facebook account to share information about government services or meetings or communicate to the public in the capacity of their elected position, that Facebook account can no longer be considered a personal account. This is true even if the Facebook account is a mix between personal and City business but not marked as official because, per the Supreme Court, the distinction is based on “substance, not labels.”
This means that if an elected official has deleted comments or blocked users, that elected official has violated the public’s First Amendment rights and can be personally sued. For instance, in 2024, a Chicago alderperson agreed to pay $157,500 to settle a lawsuit for blocking critics on Facebook and, presently, an Illinois House member is being sued for deleting or suppressing critical comments on her Facebook account.