MONDAY
March 30, 2015 • $1.00
SEASON PREVIEW
NORTHWEST
Marengo’s speedy Jarrell Jackson works on his endurance / B1
HERALD
NWHerald.com
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN McHENRY COUNTY
HIGH
LOW
55 39 Complete forecast on page A10
Facebook.com/NWHerald
@NWHerald
Locals working on consolidation County represented on Rauner’s task force to trim Illinois governments By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com A new task force meant to find ways to reduce Illinois’ almost 7,000 units of local government is not the first of its kind, but it very well could be the first commissioned by a governor who has made reducing that number a top priority. Thursday marked the first meet-
Inside District 36 candidates focus on consolidation. PAGE A3
ing of the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force created by Gov. Bruce Rauner and chaired by Lt. Gov. Evelyn San-
guinetti. As the name implies, its role also includes examining the fiscal burdens state government puts on local governments by imposing regulations on them without accompanying funding. Three McHenry County politicians – state Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo; state Sen. Dan Duffy, R-Lake Barrington; and Barrington Village President Karen Darch – are
Bankruptcy an option for cities in Illinois?
among the task force’s 25 members. Rauner, who lists the sheer number of Illinois governments as one of the reasons for the state’s large property-tax burden, created the task force last month by executive order. The task force is required to submit its findings by year’s end. At more than 6,900, Illinois has more units of government than any other state, and 2,000 more than
the first runner-up, Pennsylvania. They include such esoteric bodies as cemetery, water authority and street-lighting districts, school districts consisting of one school, and townships that are all but completely covered by municipalities. Critics allege the large number of governments encourages waste,
See CONSOLIDATION, page A4
NATIONAL DOCTORS’ APPRECIATION DAY
Sponsor: Proposed bill ‘measure of last resort’ By NICK SWEDBERG The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD – Stressed by pension debt, other financial issues and the possibility of losing a chunk of their state aid, some Illinois cities want the option to file for bankruptcy. They’ve found an ally in a Republican lawmaker, who’s proposed legislation to allow municipalities to follow in the footsteps of Detroit and other cities in restructuring debt and paying back creditors. Opponents, however, say there are less drastic, intermediate steps than the “dangerous” path of bankruptcy. One thing is clear, Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey told senators earlier this month: “If history has proven anything in this state, delay, deferral and denial are not solutions.” Twelve states authorize cities to file Chapter 9 bankruptcy filings, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, and another 12 grant conditional ability to file. Twenty-six Rep. Ron states either don’t have Chapter 9 auSandack Downers Grove thorization or prohibit it. Republican Rep. Ron Sandack is sponsoring legislation that would grant authority for communities to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 9 of the federal code. The Downers Grove Republican says it’s a “measure of last resort,” especially with Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposal in next year’s budget to cut in half the local governments’ share of state income taxes by 50 percent. “It’s just giving time and space to do things right,” he said. But not even wealthy towns are immune to costs associated with unsustainable pensions, personal and long-term debt, which can make bankruptcy seem like a viable option, said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a Chicago-based, nonpartisan government research organization. He and other critics recommend establishing an authority that can work with the local government before a bankruptcy judge would consider approving a filing. “Bankruptcy is a very dangerous place for us to be heading,” Msall said. Municipal bankruptcies are rare, NCSL data shows. Of 37 local government filings since 2010, only eight were cities, with the majority filed by
Photos by H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
Dr. Jim Mowery checks for medications for a patient in the Family Health Partnership Clinic dispensary in Crystal Lake. Mowery is one of a number of doctors who quietly do significant volunteer work in McHenry County from different practices and health systems. Many of them volunteer through Family Health Partnership.
Practicing with compassion By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com CRYSTAL LAKE – Suzanne Hoban said it takes a “special kind of doctor” to work at the Family Health Partnership Clinic. In fact, it has 29 “special” doctors who volunteer their services at the Crystal Lake-based clinic, where the only common denominator in patients is they are uninsured. “The volunteer physicians are tremendous because they really enable us to fulfill our mission and do the work that we want to do and the community supports us to do,” said Hoban, the clinic’s executive director. Dr. Jim Mowery is the clinic’s medical director. He’s retired from practicing internal medicine at Centegra Health System. Now that he’s retired, he’s devoting more time to the clinic pro bono. Mowery is not alone. There are a number of doctors who quietly do significant volunteer work in McHenry County from different practices and health systems. Many of them volunteer through
Many volunteers offer free care at Crystal Lake clinic
Dr. Jim Mowery’s coffee cools while he visits with patients at the clinic in Crystal Lake. Family Health Partnership Clinic. Monday is National Doctors’ Appreciation Day. FHPC sees about 2,500 patients a year, in about 8,000 visits, and
the clinic relies heavily on its doctors to provide care at little or no cost to the patient. The patients either have no access to health insurance or cannot afford it.
“I believe everybody has a right to affordable medical care,” Mowery said. “The fact that 40 million people can’t afford insurance is a travesty as far as I’m concerned.” Some doctors appreciate the clinic where they can simply stick to the medicine, Hoban said. “What draws people here is that they can really practice medicine with compassion,” she said. “They don’t have to wrestle with HMOs. They don’t have to wrestle with insurance companies – because no one has insurance here. It’s a very level playing field.” Although there are a number of doctors who volunteer at the clinic, Mowery would like to see more, but he understands that family and professional pressures keep some from offering their time and skills. Dr. Ann Dilla is a Centegra family doctor based in Spring Grove and volunteers at the clinic several hours a month. “You make time if it’s important,” Dilla said. “Family Health Partnership Clinic is one of the best run clinics I’ve ever been in.
See VOLUNTEERS, page A4
See BANKRUPTCY, page A4
SPORTS
LOCAL NEWS
WORLD
WHERE IT’S AT
Final Four
Election 2015
Offers support
Wisconsin, Kentucky, Michigan State and Duke march on / B1
Harrison District 36 board candidates focus on consolidation / A3
Pastor says hometown stands by Germanwings co-pilot and family / A2
Advice ...........................C7 Classified...................C1-6 Comics ..........................C9 Local News...................A3 Lottery...........................A2 Nation&World..... A2, 6-8 Puzzles ...................... C7-8
Obituaries ....................A8 Opinion......................... A9 Sports........................ B1-8 State ............................. A3 Weather ......................A10 TV grid...........................C8