More Hyper-Local (Township) Government

Here is the best guess list of who is doing what in the Woodford County Townships:

	CAZENOVIA	ASSESSOR		NONE
	CAZENOVIA	CLERK	MS.	BRENDA WEERS
	CAZENOVIA	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	KRAIG HOFSTATTER
	CAZENOVIA	SUPERVISOR	MS.	GINGER HUMPHREY
	CAZENOVIA	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	CAZENOVIA	TRUSTEE	MR.	ROBERT GEHRICH
	CAZENOVIA	TRUSTEE	MS.	GENEVA GRESHAM
	CAZENOVIA	TRUSTEE	MR.	DAVID FORCE
	CAZENOVIA	TRUSTEE	MR.	RICHARD D. PEABODY
	CLAYTON	ASSESSOR	MR.	EDWARD J. LONGMAN
	CLAYTON	CLERK	MR.	RONALD W. JONES
	CLAYTON	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	RANDY KOEHLER
	CLAYTON	SUPERVISOR	MR.	ARTHUR J. GERDES
	CLAYTON	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	CLAYTON	TRUSTEE	MR.	RICHARD B. BURMOOD
	CLAYTON	TRUSTEE	MR.	JAMES W. WILSON
	CLAYTON	TRUSTEE	MR.	RICHARD WEBER
	CLAYTON	TRUSTEE	MR.	BRUCE TALLYN, JR.
	CRUGER	ASSESSOR	MS.	ROSALEE SHANKLIN
	CRUGER	CLERK	MS.	SHEILA SCHUMACHER
	CRUGER	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	RONALD D. SCHMIDGALL
	CRUGER	SUPERVISOR	MR.	RICHARD BROWN
	CRUGER	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	CRUGER	TRUSTEE	MR.	MYRON BLUNIER
	CRUGER	TRUSTEE	MR.	RONALD E. UNDERWOOD
	EL PASO	ASSESSOR	MR.	ROBERT A. HUNSAKER
	EL PASO	CLERK	MR.	RONALD S. FEVER
	EL PASO	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	JACK M. KEARFOTT
	EL PASO	SUPERVISOR	MR.	DAN J. BENEDICT
	EL PASO	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	EL PASO	TRUSTEE	MR.	PHILIP R. MULLVAIN
	EL PASO	TRUSTEE	MR.	JEFFERY D. NEISLER
	EL PASO	TRUSTEE	MR.	THOMAS E. CLEARY
	EL PASO	TRUSTEE	MR.	DARRELL DULEY
	GREENE	ASSESSOR	MR.	EDWARD J. LOHGMAN
	GREENE	CLERK	MR.	WILLIAM F. DEHORITY
	GREENE	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	BRUCE VON NORDHEIM
	GREENE	SUPERVISOR	MS.	DEBRA HARTMAN
	GREENE	TRUSTEE	MR.	BILL HARTMAN
	GREENE	TRUSTEE	MR.	MARTIN H. VOGEL
	GREENE	TRUSTEE	MR.	BRENT HODEL
	GREENE	TRUSTEE	MR.	CARL MILLER, JR.
	KANSAS	ASSESSOR	MR.	KENNETH UPHOFF
	KANSAS	CLERK	MS.	BETTY M. TODD
	KANSAS	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	KEITH L. MCCLURE
	KANSAS	SUPERVISOR	MR.	LEONARD HOSPELHORN
	KANSAS	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	KANSAS	TRUSTEE	MR.	STEPHEN THOMAS
	KANSAS	TRUSTEE	MR.	KENNETH UPHOFF
	KANSAS	TRUSTEE	MR.	KENNETH YAEGER
	KANSAS	TRUSTEE	MR.	THOMAS MARQUARDT
	LINN	ASSESSOR	MR.	EDWARD J. LONGMAN
	LINN	CLERK	MS.	ROBYN M. PANNIER
	LINN	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	LES KENNELL
	LINN	SUPERVISOR	MR.	PAUL JURY
	LINN	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	LINN	TRUSTEE	MR.	DONALD HECK
	LINN	TRUSTEE	MR.	STEVE THOMPSON
	LINN	TRUSTEE	MR.	CHARLES L. KENNELL
	LINN	TRUSTEE	MS.	LISA KULL
		ASSESSOR	MR.	ROGER ALIG
	METAMORA	CLERK	MS.	SHARON L. KUHLMAN
	METAMORA	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	JAMES L. SCHERTZ
	METAMORA	SUPERVISOR	MS.	MARTHA SCHEIRER
	METAMORA	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	METAMORA	TRUSTEE	MR.	DARRYL BACHMAN
	METAMORA	TRUSTEE	MR.	MICHAEL W. SLUGA
	METAMORA	TRUSTEE	MR.	LOUIS TURNER
	METAMORA	TRUSTEE	MR.	JOEL OBERY
	MINONK	ASSESSOR	MR.	ED LONGMAN
	MINONK	CLERK	MR.	HENRY C. BUDDE
	MINONK	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	JAMES F. BAUMANN
	MINONK	SUPERVISOR	MR.	JAMES E. MEYER
	MINONK	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	MINONK	TRUSTEE	MR.	WILBUR "BUD" WHITCOMB
	MINONK	TRUSTEE	MR.	ROGER K. JANSSEN
	MINONK	TRUSTEE	MS.	MAE COPP
	MINONK	TRUSTEE	MR.	RONALD E. SEGGERMAN
	MONTGOMERY MONTGOMERY	ASSESSER CLERK	MR. MR.	E.WAYNE TROYER BRUCE BROWN
	MONTGOMERY	HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER	MR.	ART WIEGAND
	MONTGOMERY	SUPERVISOR	MR.	MELVIN L. BLUNIER
	MONTGOMERY	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	MONTGOMERY	TRUSTEE	MR.	BRET VOLLMER
	MONTGOMERY	TRUSTEE	MR.	EDWARD WIEGAND
	MONTGOMERY	TRUSTEE	MR.	MARK MILLER
	MONTGOMERY	TRUSTEE	MR.	DANIEL SCHUMACHER
	OLIO	ASSESSOR	MS.	ROSALEE SHANKLIN
	OLIO	CLERK	MS.	PAMELA K. KNAPP
	OLIO	HIGHWAY COMMISSONER	MR.	MELVIN R. HARTTER
	OLIO	SUPERVISOR	MR.	ROGER D. MILLER
	OLIO	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	OLIO	TRUSTEE	MR.	TIM GETZ
	OLIO	TRUSTEE	MR.	KEITH BLUNIER
	OLIO	TRUSTEE	MR.	JOHN D HARTTER
	OLIO	TRUSTEE	MR.	ROBERT IMHOFF
	PALESTINE	ASSESSOR	MR.	KENNETH UPHOFF
	PALESTINE	CLERK	MS.	W. ANN ARMSTRONG
	PALESTINE	HIGHWAY COMMISSONER	MR.	JACK HEYUNGS
	PALESTINE	SUPERVISOR	MR.	RON BACHMAN
	PALESTINE	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	PALESTINE	TRUSTEE	MS.	CINDY JANSSEN-HEYUNGS
	PALESTINE	TRUSTEE	MR.	JAMES L. HUNT
	PALESTINE	TRUSTEE	MR.	JAMES R. WILKEY
	PALESTINE	TRUSTEE	MR.	DAVID RIFE
	PANOLA	ASSESSOR	MR.	EDWARD J. LONGMAN
	PANOLA	CLERK	MS.	KAREN J. KRUG
	PANOLA	HIGHWAY COMMISSONER	MR.	TERRY R. MOOL
	PANOLA	SUPERVISOR	MR.	JOHN E. LONGMAN
	PANOLA	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	PANOLA	TRUSTEE	MR.	KEITH MOOL
	PANOLA	TRUSTEE	MR.	BRIAN S. STOLLER
	PANOLA	TRUSTEE	MR.	RICHARD CARLS
	PANOLA	TRUSTEE	MS.	LYNN A BARTH
	PARTRIDGE	ASSESSOR		NONE
	PARTRIDGE	CLERK	MR.	GERALD W. JENKINS
	PARTRIDGE	HIGHWAY COMMISSONER	MR.	TERRY E. CLARK
	PARTRIDGE	SUPERVISOR	MR.	DAVID JENKINS
	PARTRIDGE	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	PARTRIDGE	TRUSTEE	MR.	CLARENCE MITZELFELT
	PARTRIDGE	TRUSTEE	MR.	RON STRAYER
	PARTRIDGE	TRUSTEE	MS.	SHARON K. BROOKS
	PARTRIDGE	TRUSTEE	MR.	WILLARD WINKLER
	ROANOKE	ASSESSOR		NONE
	ROANOKE	CLERK	MR.	GREGORY FUNK
	ROANOKE	HIGHWAY COMMISSONER	MR.	SCOTT HOLLIGER
	ROANOKE	SUPERVISOR	MS.	BEVERLY LADENDORF
	ROANOKE	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	ROANOKE	TRUSTEE	MR.	TILMAN L. BACHMAN, SR.
	ROANOKE	TRUSTEE	MR.	ROSS GINGRICH
	ROANOKE	TRUSTEE	MS.	KATHLEEN L. ADAMS
	ROANOKE	TRUSTEE	MR.	ERIC BACHMAN
	SPRING BAY	ASSESSOR	MR.	PETE LAMBIE
	SPRING BAY	CLERK	MR.	JOHN R. McCARTY
	SPRING BAY	HIGHWAY COMMISSONER	MR.	JEFFREY D. SMITH
	SPRING BAY	SUPERVISOR	MR.	DENNIS PERRY
	SPRING BAY	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	SPRING BAY	TRUSTEE	MR.	OLIVER E. GARBER, JR.
	SPRING BAY	TRUSTEE	MR.	DANNY JENKINS
	SPRING BAY	TRUSTEE	MR.	CURTIS BALLARD
	SPRING BAY	TRUSTEE	MR.	HAROLD W. DOTY
	WORTH	ASSESSOR	MR.	JOHN BEECHLER
	WORTH	CLERK	MS.	BEVERLY SCHNEIDER
	WORTH	HIGHWAY COMMISSONER	MR.	DALE HOLLINGSWORTH
	WORTH	SUPERVISOR	MR.	THOMAS SECKLER
	WORTH	TOWNSHIP OFFICE
	WORTH	TRUSTEE	MR.	RONALD L. SCHNEIDER
	WORTH	TRUSTEE	MR.	EDWARD EVANS
	WORTH	TRUSTEE	MR.	ARTHUR J. KIESEWETTER
	WORTH	TRUSTEE	MR.	DANIEL KIESEWETTER

You might just want to get acquainted with these folks if you're not already!

PJS (surprise) Calls For More Airport Property Taxes

Are these guys nuts?

In today's Journal Star, the "editors" call for annexing all of Peoria and Tazwell Counties into the Greater Peoria Airport taxing district.

Now there is something to be said for spreading the cost of the facility, but are property taxes the best way to do this? There are certainly many other options for fuding.

The paper claims that representatives David Leitch, Aaron Schock, Mike Smith, and senators Dale Risinger and David Koehler are on board with a bill to be introduced next spring.

It looks like Rep. Keith Sommer still maintains some sanity and has not joined in.

We're surprised the Peoria Journal Star doesn't think Woodford should be included. We guess that's a stretch even for them.

Minonk Truth in Taxation Hearing Scheduled

Monday, December 4th is your chance to voice opinions about the city of Minonk's requested tax increase. You probably can pick up some of the scuttlebutt over at the Minonk Talk website.

It looks as if they are looking for over a 10 percent increase in property taxes.

Woodford Spending To Go UP!

Here we go again.

The Woodford County Journal this week proclaimed on it's front page banner, "Woodford tax to go down". Evidently the editor forgot one word. "rate" should have been inserted between "tax" and "to"; an understandable oversight.

The headline should have read, "Woodford Spending Up 7.5 Percent!", because that is the increase in the County's budget.

How can this be? Well, you already know the answer to this. The tax rate is only one factor in total property tax extensions. The other big factor is the total property base's valuation to which the rate is applied. Of course there are other "revenue streams" besides property taxes as well - call 'em whatever you wish - they're still taxes. No one seems to understand that, unlike the taxing authorities, the average taxpayer has no other revenue sources from which to draw upon.

To be fair, "the Journal" does include a "primer on taxation" on page 4A - the editorial section. Unfortunately it perpetuates the myth that the property tax/spending equation is hopelessly complicated and you might as well leave talk of rates, abatements, levies, caps, and EAV to the experts.

Don't get us wrong, we're glad the rate went down and we're happy, we guess, to see some burden shifted to "user fees" from property taxes. Just don't be fooled that this county's taxes went down, because they sure didn't. Nor should you be convinced that all of this is way too complicated for the average voter. It isn't. It's really simple:

How much did you spend last year, the year before that, and the year before that? What do you want this year? Unfortunately for the taxpayer, this question needs to be asked of every taxing authority - schools, fire, water, municipal, library, township, county, community college, etc.

And no, "appraisal creep" doesn't refer to the guy setting the values.

Metamora "Master Plan"

The Metamora Planning Commission put out a "plan" in June. You can see it here.

Wow. Wonder what that cost? Ya know them consultants, architects and that fancy paper ain't cheap. But if it prevents just ONE urban sprawl, isn't it worth it?

Seriously, it always disturbs us a bit when the "committee" or "commission" or "advisory group" gets its "public input" and then has its architect move around a couple of lines so they can say, "This is the community's plan, not our plan. Far be it from us to think we know how to plan this community best".

We certainly don't know the situation in Metamora - we're just sayin' . . .

Olio Township in Chicago?

OK. We admit it. We use Google Alerts to keep tabs on Woodford County's 17 Townships.

Today we got an alert on a Chicago band called "Olio Township". Now, this can't just be a fluke. Some of these boys (or girl) must be local (especially when a 'Sauder' is included). Has anyone heard of them?

House Keeping

We're moving!

Well, not really. Everything here at the Truth Detector will remain the same, but we are moving our Home Page web site to www.woodfordtaxfacts.org.

The old site, at www.woodfordtaxfacts.com will remain up and running for a few weeks and eventually will just point over to the new site anyway, so this shouldn't cause any major problems.

We believe the Domain change from .Com to .Org better reflects our non-profit status. The new site also enables a few bells and whistles which our previous server prevented.

If you receive the Truth Detector Newsletter, you will notice the sending address has changed. You might want to ensure it isn't flagged by your anti-spam filter. (You can sign up for the news letter at the site, or just email us).

Continue to forward your much appreciated suggestions!

"Eureka Park District" WannaBes Meet

Recently seventeen folks got together at the Eureka City hall to discuss how to best proceed with the creation of a new taxing district.

The Legal Record says that Tiera Darnall-Charlton of Secor, who ran unsuccessfully for the Woodford County Board in the Republican primary, "was chosen chair of the 'committee".

Why someone that lives in Secor and works in Bloomington would chair a committee for a Eureka park is a puzzlement. Is that how big this proposed tax district is going to be? We think not, but these folks seem to believe that a taxing authority encompassing essentially what is the CUSD #140 area might fly.

Unspecified "Eureka city officials" have said without the formation of a park district, out-of-city program participants might be forced to pay additional park usage fees in the near future. So, let's see . . . we can pay extra fees or have a Park District taxing authority? We choose the extra fees, thanks very much.

Others in this committee's rogues gallery apparently include EYRA president Bill Schulz (president of the Eureka Youth Recreation Association), Gerald Moxley(athletics?), Sherry Silverthorn(Tri-County Planning Commission?) and Jerry Babbs(CUSD #140?).

Hold on to your wallets, folks.

Woodford County Unemployment Drops; Illinois' Lowest Rate

Economist Dr. Arthur Laffer (the "Laffer Curve") was on the radio the other day talking about the current state of the U.S. and world economies. In the course of his discussions he made an interesting and basic analysis of the unemployment rate in the U.S. and average or median wages (for this example, take your pick).

Many decry that wages aren't growing at a faster rate. Laffer says with virtual full employment that's what you'll have because previously unemployed workers enter the statistical base and lower the average. He says, "Which would you rather have though, an unemployed worker or one that is employed with an entry wage? He maintains that slowing or static wages is GOOD! (as long as unemployment is low).

But we digress. Unemployment in Central Illinois, while likely to tick up over winter as always (due to construction jobs) dropped again.

McLean County tallied a 2.7 percent jobless rate last month, down from 3 percent in September. McLean County tied with DuPage, Moultrie and Piatt counties.

The national jobless rate in October was 4.4 percent, slightly above the Illinois rate of 4.1 percent.

Woodford and Brown counties had the lowest rate, at 2.5 percent in October. Woodford County posted a 2.8 percent rate in September.

DeWitt and Ford counties' unemployment each dropped from 3.6 percent in September to 3.2 percent last month.

LaSalle County's jobless rate dropped from 4.5 percent to 4.3 percent in October.

Unemployment decreased in Livingston County to 3.2 percent, from 3.7 percent in September.

In Logan County, unemployment fell from 4.1 percent in September to 3.7 percent in October.

Tazewell County's unemployment rate dropped from 3.4 percent to 3.2 percent in October.

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