Schakowsky Announced Pork: $4 Million Out of $12.5 Million for McHenry County

From 9th District Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky comes this press release about what she got in the budget.

McHenry County governments received about 25% of it.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky announced that she has secured $12,552,000 in funding from the House Appropriations Committee for 15 projects across the 9th Congressional District.

“One of the best parts of my job is bringing funding home where it matters most,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “This year, $12,552,000 will support 15 projects across the 9th District, upgrading roads and bridges, improving schools and parks, strengthening public safety, and enhancing water infrastructure. Listening to residents and delivering for our communities has always been the heart of what I do in Congress, and I can’t wait to see the difference these investments will make for families across the 9th District.”

Congresswoman Schakowsky championed funding for 15 projects that will directly benefit Illinois’ 9th District. These include:

• $250,000 for the Niles Howard Street Bridge Replacement Project
• $850,000 for the Cook County East Lake Ave Bridge Project
• $1.25 million for the Niles Township Respite Center Renovation Project
• $1.2 million for the McHenry County Police Social Work Program Headquarters Project
• $850,000 for the Chicago Fire Department Engine House 71 Ambulance Annex
• $850,000 for the McHenry County Conservation District Fox Bluff Conservation Area Public Access Enhancement Project
• $250,000 for the Fremont Township Critical Road Resurfacing Project
• $250,000 for the Chicago Public Schools Mosaic School Improvements Project
• $250,000 for the Evanston Beck Park Expansion Project
• $1.092 million for the Buffalo Grove, Illinois – Mill Creek Subdivision Utility Resiliency Project
• $1.092 million for Lake County Public Works – Water System Improvements (Hawthorn Woods/Glennshire & Forest Lake)
• $1.092 million for Skokie, Illinois – Storm Water Infrastructure Enhancement Project
• $1.092 million for Algonquin, Illinois – High Hill Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project
• $1.092 million for Morton Grove, IL – Lead Service Line Replacement
• $1.092 million for Cary, IL – PFAS Mitigation and Water Resiliency Project

By directing federal resources to projects that matter most to residents, this funding will help strengthen communities, improve quality of life, and ensure that local neighborhoods continue to grow and thrive.

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Fox Bluff Conservation Area consists of the old Fox Trails Ski and Harry Hope’s, plus Camp Algonquin.

Its history can be found here on the McHenry County Conservation District website.

The Fox Trails property was owned by Henry Carroll, father of my high school friend Tom Carroll. The father was in charge of Montgomery Wards farm machinery division before he moved to McHenry County, where he went into the sod business. I got drafted once to help lay sod (in Hoffman Estates, I think). That experience convinced me once was enough.

Camp Algonquin was partially financed by McHenry County back in the day when the Power Elite were hell-bent on building the Northern Bypass that would run right to the land owned by those affiliated with the Northwest Herald.

Here’s how MCCD explains the purchase:

“The purchase of the Camp Algonquin site was a combined effort between the District and the County of
McHenry. Collaboratively the two groups were seeking to help the other with identified needs. The District targeting the preservation and protection of natural resources associated with the site and the
County recognizing the need to secure a potential transportation corridor option, the groups combined their resources to successfully acquire the property. The County contributed approximately 12% of the purchase price in order to secure a Grant of Easement of Way for a future transportation crossing over the Fox River.” (Emphasis added.)