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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

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ELECTION | OGLE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY

Incumbent loses in GOP primary Rock promises smooth transition

“The people of Ogle County have spoken,� Rock said in a telephone interview. “I’ll make sure to work with Eric to have a smooth transition.� Morrow said he looked forward to serving the people of Ogle County. “If elected (in November), I would like to work with Mike Rock and the staff to ensure a smooth transition,� Morrow said. The new term starts Dec. 1. No Democrat is running for state’s attorney,

BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525

OREGON – Mike Rock, appointed last year as Ogle County’s state’s attorney, failed to get the voters’ stamp of approval Tuesday. In the Republican primary, Oregon attorney Eric Morrow beat Rock, getting 4,925 votes (53 percent) to Rock’s 4,448 (47 percent).

though the party could select a candidate to run in the N o v e m ber general Eric election, Morrow a highly unlikely prospect in this solid Republican county. No Democrat ran in 2010. In January 2013, the Ogle County Board unanimously voted for Rock to replace State’s Attorney Ben Roe, who had been named a judge in the

15th Judicial Circuit. Rock was among four candidates, including Morrow, MIke who were Rock interviewed by a County Board selection committee. Rock, 48, had been the first assistant state’s attorney under Roe since 2010 and was a prosecutor for the office from 1994 to 2000. He later was in private practice in Rockford for 10 years

ELECTION | WHITESIDE AND CARROLL COUNTIES

until he returned as a prosecutor. Rock, a Byron resident, received much support for his re-election from County Board members, who praised him for keeping control of his budget. However, Morrow, 38, said during the campaign that he had seen a breakdown in communication between the state’s attorney’s office and other parts of the judicial system since Rock took office. He also said the office had reduced its dealings with victims

of crimes to form letters, sometimes delivered unsealed. Rock disagreed, saying his office seeks victims’ input and sends them letters detailing what’s happening with their cases. Rock said one of his biggest duties is to keep drugs out of Ogle County. Stiff sentences for drug dealers, he said, send a message to those outside the county who bring in drugs. Both candidates touted their support for the Second Amendment.

ELECTION | 16TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Local voters again Kinzinger pounds reject school sales tax tea party challenger Superintendent ‘disappointed that it failed,’ but respects vote BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com EXT

For the fourth time in 6 years, voters in Whiteside County are telling school officials to look elsewhere for money to fix their districts’ aging buildings and infrastructure. According to Tuesday night’s unofficial vote tallies, the school facilities tax, which would have raised the countywide sales tax on certain items by 1 percentage point, went down in defeat, 3,183-2,347. That’s 57.6 percent voting “No, thanks,� to 42.4 percent voting “Yes,� a difference of 836 votes. Voters in Carroll County sent the same message, although not as loudly: They nixed the measure by a mere 100 votes, 1,460-1,360, or 51.7 percent to 48.2 percent. A simple majority of votes was needed for the initiative to pass. This was the second time the measure had made the ballot in Carroll County. It first was defeated in April 2011. Milledgeville Superintendent Tim Schurman called the outcome disappointing, and said it’s a little too soon to consider making a third run at its passage.

“I’m disappointed that it failed, but you’ve got to respect the vote and move forward,� he said. In Whiteside County, the tax hike would have garnered about $4.3 million a year that would have been divided among its 10 school districts, based on enrollment. Carroll County would have split about $1.1 million among its three districts. Supporters said the money is needed to offset declining state aid and to reduce property taxes. The beauty of the sales tax hike, they said, is that it would be paid by anyone buying goods in the county, not just local property owners. Most districts also vowed to use the money to pay off debt, which would lower property taxes and save money by reducing the need for loans, and/or the length of time it takes to retire loans, thereby saving in interest payments. The question had been defeated by Whiteside County voters three previous times, but until Tuesday night had gained support each time – 42 percent in November 2008, 45 percent in April 2009, and 46 percent in April.

The new tax would have come on top of the existing 6.75 percent state/local sales tax and would have added $10 in tax for every $1,000 spent on certain items, such as fuel, restaurant meals, and prepared food. By law, the money could be used only for capital facilities projects – new facilities, additions and renovations, land acquisition, ongoing maintenance, architectural planning, durable equipment (nonmoveable items), fire prevention and life safety, disabled access and security, energy efficiency, parking lots, demolition, and roof repairs and to pay off existing facilities bonds – 20-year loans taken out for such purposes. The tax revenue could not be used to pay for salaries or benefits, supplies, operating expenses, buses, and the like. The new tax would have been charged on retail purchases except for cars, trucks, and all-terrain vehicles, boats and recreational vehicles, mobile homes, groceries, drugs (including over the counter medications and vitamins), farm equipment and parts, and farm inputs.

ELECTION | 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Senger wins nomination for Congress CHICAGO (AP) – Darlene Senger has emerged from a four-way primary field to win the Republican nomination for Congress in Illinois’ 11th District. Darlene S e n Senger ger spent 6 years on the Naperville City Council before being elected to the Illi-

nois House in 2008. Bert Miller is a Hinsdale businessman. Chris Balkema of Channahon is a Caterpillar manager, and Ian Bayne is a small-business owner from Aurora. Bill Senger was Foster a member of a 10-member bipartisan committee who helped push a pension deal

through the state legislature last fall. She received backing from a number of establishment Republicans. However, Miller raised the most money and ran television ads introducing himself to voters. The district stretches from Aurora to Naperville and into Joliet. Senger faces U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville in the November general election.

Congressman won’t rule out Senate race BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525

The tea party sends shivers down the spines of some relatively moderate Republicans. Probably not that of Rep. Adam Kinzinger. On Tuesday, Kinzinger sailed past his tea party opponent, David Hale, in the Republican primary for the 16th Congressional District, which includes Lee County. With all but 16 of the 674 precincts having reported, Kinzinger got 55,781 votes (78.45 percent) to Hale’s 15,319 (21.55 percent). Kinzinger said in a telephone interview that people want him to go back to Washington to change things. “It’s very clear that I’m not happy with the direction in Washington, D.C. I have shown I can make the tough votes,� Kinzinger said. Some have suggested that Kinzinger is eyeing higher offices, particularly Republican Mark Kirk’s U.S. Senate seat. Asked about that, Kinz-

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inger would not rule out running for Kirk’s seat in 2016, saying he makes a decision on his political career every 2 years. Hale said he was not surprised with the results. “My opponent spent a lot of money on this race,� Hale said. “It’s democracy in action. I’m happy about that. I respect the wishes of the people of the district.� He said he hoped Kinzinger would keep his promises. In other areas of the country, well-heeled conservative groups have funded challengers to Republican incumbents deemed insufficiently conservative. But that hasn’t been the case in the 16th District, where Kinzinger, who has criticized those groups, raised nearly $1 million to Hale’s $5,000. In the 2012 primary, Kinzinger of Channahon, who had repre-

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Today

David Hale

Adam Kinzinger

sented the 11th District for 2 years, faced Don Manzullo, the 20-year incumbent from the 16th. The year before, the Democratic-run state Legislature redrew the boundaries of the 16th District to put both men in the 16th District. The redistricting packed as many Republican voters as possible from the region into the 16th District so that other districts could go Democratic. In the primary campaign, Kinzinger, who beat Manzullo with 53 percent of the vote, made the case that he was the more conservative candidate, ready to cut back government and taxes, a message that worked well with the tea party. But Hale, the Rockford Tea Party’s founder, said Kinzinger and other Republicans are moving away from conservatism, taking the congressman to task for backing spending agreements with President Barack Obama. Kinzinger, Hale said, is part of the “Republican surrender caucus.� Kinzinger will face Democrat Randall Olsen in the fall.

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