Letter: Unfunded mandates to blame for county budget deficit

To the Editor:The Northwest Herald has recently reported on the McHenry County budget and the levy that will affect our property tax bills. There are a number of things to keep in mind about our property tax bills. One of the most important issues that has not been covered by the press is the $7.5 million of mandates from the state of Illinois that are not being funded by the state. Unfunded mandates from the state present a challenge to municipalities, county government, and schools.The county portion of our property tax bills is typically around 6% of the total, approximately $500 for a residence valued at $340,000. Schools, on the other hand, represent about 70% of the total. With more money being spent on “administration” versus actual classroom education, and with the decline in student proficiency in reading, writing and math, many of our county’s residents question the return on this investment in our public schools. Our county government is debt-free and has an AAA financial ra