Comments made by McHenry County Board member Terri Greeno putting a negative twist on next year’s County budget:
Terri Greeno County Board Comments
I want to address a recent article published on August 7, 2025, in the Shaw Media Northwest Herald titled “Financial uncertainty looms over McHenry County as it plans how much to tax and spend.”
While I appreciate the newspaper’s effort to inform the public about our county’s budget process, I believe the piece paints an overly dire picture that doesn’t fully align with the financial realities we’re facing.
Today, I’d like to set the record straight in a spirit of transparency, drawing on verifiable facts from our county’s official records.
First, let’s recap what the article says.
It describes a “challenging financial landscape” where expenses are projected to outpace revenues for the 2025 fiscal year, even if we impose the maximum allowable property tax increase of about 3.4%, based on the consumer price index.
The piece highlights uncertainties like
- the expiration of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds by 2026,
- potential cuts in federal funding due to national political shifts, and
- rising costs from tariffs impacting county projects.
It warns of
- possible job cuts,
- program reductions, or
- delays in capital improvements,
creating an impression of looming financial strain that could burden taxpayers and services alike.
Now, contrast that with the actual state of McHenry County’s finances.
The county is completely debt-free as of fiscal year 2024—a milestone we achieved through prudent management, as confirmed in our official budget policy and celebrated in a county announcement just a day after the article’s publication.
We also maintain a robust reserve fund equivalent to 7.5 months of operating expenses, which far exceeds our policy’s minimum target of 150 days, or about five months.
This reserve acts as a safety net precisely for the kinds of uncertainties the article mentions, allowing us to absorb potential shortfalls without immediate drastic measures like widespread cuts or tax hikes.
So, why the discrepancy?
The article focuses heavily on future projections and worst-case scenarios, which are part of our conservative budgeting process to avoid surprises.
But it omits or downplays our strong current position, making the situation sound more precarious than it is.
There’s no immediate financial crisis here—our fundamentals are solid, supported by policies that prioritize balanced budgets without debt and careful revenue estimates.
In fact, recent actions like the March 2024 sales tax referendum have shifted funding for mental health services away from property taxes, easing some pressures.
This leads me to a broader concern: the timing.
Next year is an election year for many board seats, and pushing for a larger tax levy now could set the stage for holding or even reducing it in 2026, allowing some to claim credit as fiscal heroes just before voters head to the polls.
While external risks like federal funding changes are real and warrant planning, exaggerating them to justify unnecessary increases feels more like political maneuvering than sound governance.
Residents deserve better than headlines that stoke fear without the full context.
For verification, I encourage everyone to review the facts themselves.
All County Board meeting notes, agendas, minutes, and budget documents are publicly available online through the McHenry County Meeting Portal at www.mchenrycountyil.gov.
Look at the Finance and Audit Committee discussions from April through August 2025—they detail our levy scenarios, revenue forecasts, and reserve levels.
Transparency is key, and these records show we’re in a position of strength, not crisis.
In closing, let’s focus on responsible budgeting that serves McHenry County taxpayers without undue alarm or opportunism.
We can address uncertainties thoughtfully, leveraging our reserves and debt-free status to maintain services and keep taxes fair.
