Pat In The News...

Foreclosure Workshop Set to Help Homeowners

HERALD NEWS
April 27, 2008

JOLIET -- Will County Treasurer Pat McGuire and the Rev. Herbert Brooks Jr, will host a workshop designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 104 E. Zarley Blvd.

The free event will also provide information on preventing identity theft and money management.

Three, 45-minute workshops will be offered: "Preventing Foreclosure and Options When Faced with Foreclosure" at 9:15 a.m., "Identity Theft" at 10:15 a.m.; and "Managing Your Money" at 11 a.m.

Scheduled to speak are Kathleen Fulton and John Krich of Harris Bank, Kim Hoffman Davis of Illinois State Police District 15, and Sharon Garchitorena from the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias' Financial Education Division.

For more information call (815) 740-4692 or visit www.willcountytreasurer.com.

Forum Stresses Financial Literacy

By CINDY WOJDYLA CAIN
HERALD NEWS Staff Writer
April 17, 2008

JOLIET -- Gas prices are high. Food costs are rising. Foreclosures are up.

"So obviously these are tough times," Will County Treasurer Pat McGuire said Wednesday at Money Smart 2008, a forum sponsored by McGuire and Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society at Joliet Junior College.

McGuire said the forum, held in JJC's technology building, was designed to teach financial literacy to JJC students who attended any of four sessions: Establishing and Keeping Good Credit, Women's Finances, Budgeting 101 and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

"I hope to help prepare the next generation of Will County homeowners to effectively budget, save and invest," McGuire said.

The event's keynote speaker was Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. He said many of the people who are at risk of foreclosure or are buried in credit card debt do not have the tools to understand the financial messes they've gotten themselves into.

Martire said financial literacy education should be offered in all schools, but that won't happen until educators are given incentives to add it to their curriculums.

Educators are judged by their standardized achievement test scores, so that's where they put their resources, he said. Current achievement tests don't include financial literacy.

Financial literacy education is needed because there are great numbers of people who don't even have bank accounts and don't understand the terms of their credit cards, Martire said.

"There's a humongous opportunity for abuse of a system when people don't have a strong financial background," he said.

"... We have to make sure these programs are in every school."

In addition to financial literacy, the Illinois economy also needs to improve, he added. Since 1990, the state has lost 239,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs. Today, the top employment sector in the state is low-wage service industry jobs.

Over 40 percent of private sector employees do not have employer-provided insurance, and less than 50 percent have retirement benefits. Since 1980, 80 percent of American wage earners saw their salaries remain flat or decline.

Without financial literacy or better economic conditions, "We are setting ourselves up for major longterm economic problems," Martire said.

McGuire plans more financial literacy seminars in the future.

On May 3, his office will offer: "Combating Foreclosure and Managing Your Money," from 9 a.m. to noon at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 104 E. Zarley Blvd., Joliet.

For more information, go to www.willcountytreasurer.com.
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Pat McGuire, (815) 740-4685

Will County Treasurer Pat McGuire’s “Property Tax Help Desk”
Travels Throughout Will County

Joliet, IL July 20, 2007 - Will County Treasurer Pat McGuire announced today he and his staff will be available to help taxpayers at three upcoming community events:

McGuire said, “The Treasurer’s Property Tax Help Desk is coming to northern and eastern Will County so taxpayers can get answers to their property tax questions, including how senior citizens, active duty military personnel, and persons with disabilities can apply for property tax relief.”

The Treasurer’s visits to Romeoville, Peotone, and Homer Glen continue McGuire’s expansion of customer service to Will County taxpayers. Last spring, McGuire lengthened the hours of the Treasurer’s office and expanded the number of banks at which property taxes can be paid.

For more information, visit www.willcountytreasurer.com, call (815) 740-4675, email Treasurer@willcountyillinois.com, or visit the office of the Will County Treasurer, 302 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432.

# # #

Teacher Ousts Realtor For Treasurer

JOLIET -- Pat McGuire won his first attempt at countywide office Tuesday when he beat incumbent Treasurer Karen Callanan.

The teacher ousted the Realtor by a vote of 79,224 to 74,213.

"I'm humbled," McGuire said. "I'm pleased that our approach worked. Our approach was for me to look voters in the eye. I presented my record as a school board member, and I described my plans to serve the taxpayers of Will County."

Myron Brick, chairman of the Will County Democratic Party, said McGuire was the hardest working candidate he'd ever seen.

"He never stopped shaking hands, he never stopped knocking on doors. Obviously he convinced the majority."

Callanan wasn't sure all of the votes had been counted by 10:30 p.m. and was not yet willing to concede to McGuire.

"I'm not ready to comment," she said.

During the polite campaign for the low-profile post, Callanan said she wanted to continue to modernize the office with state of the art Internet options and sterling customer service. She pushed for online tax services and increased the number of credit cards that could be used for the payments this year.

McGuire campaigned as a fiscal conservative who was "tight with a buck." He also proposed an expanded role for the office, proposing new grant-funded programs that would help county residents with personal financial matters.

In the end, voters chose to switch to McGuire.

McGuire had defeated Joliet City Councilman Mike Turk in the Democratic primary for the chance to challenge Callanan. Turk had been the party's endorsed candidate.

Callanan beat Democrat Steve Wilhelmi, who was later re-appointed to the county board, in November 2002 for her first term in office. She replaced former Treasurer Jack Weber, who was seriously injured in his Shorewood home after being attacked by his step-son. He later died in September 2002.

Reporter Cindy Wojdyla Cain may be reached at (815) 729-6044 or at ccain@scn1.com
 

"Pat McGuire has a proven track record as a financial watchdog. One of his primary campaign focuses is on improving intergovernmental cooperation. His government and education background would undoubtedly serve him well in this goal."   Herald News - October 27, 2008

"Pat "Mugs" McGuire's campaign for county treasurer is $10,000 richer thanks to a high-profile donation in August. The dough is from William J. Murray -- better known as comedian and actor Bill Murray . One of McGuire's childhood friends is Jim Downey , a Joliet native who went on to work at "Saturday Night Live," where he met and befriended Murray. Now all three guys are buddies.McGuire said he sent Murray a dozen Dan's Candy taffy apples and a pound of G-Shaft candy in thanks for the hefty donation."   Herald News - October 9, 2006

“...all sorts of mud was flung in the McGuire's direction alleging that they were somehow trying to undermine Uremovic's hopes for president...News flash: The McGuire's are clean, and anyone who knows them knows that.”   Herald News - January 28, 2006

“Our executive board voted to endorse you during a recent meeting.  We believe that you are the best candidate to represent the Democratic Party in the 2006 general election.”   Illinois State University College Democrats - Letter of Endorsement, January 27, 2006

“Pat is a great guy, and someone that I have witnessed working hard for the taxpayers of Will County for a very long time,” said Vice President of Legislative Affairs and Will County native Nick Daggers. “I am glad that the IFCD took the time to recognize Pat’s hard work.”   Illinois Federation of College Democrats - Letter of Endorsement
January 14, 2006

McGuire, 53, an English tutor at Joliet Junior College, was the top vote-getter in the April election for the Joliet Township High School board.  "As a board member, I've learned how to stretch tax dollars," McGuire said. "Will County's growth demands a treasurer who looks to the future and gives taxpayers the greatest return on their money."    Chicago Tribune - December 13, 2005

That honor [filing the most petition signatures] belonged to Pat McGuire, the Joliet Township High School board member who is running for treasurer. McGuire said he had 2,100 signatures on his petitions from all over the county.  "People want a change," McGuire said of his effort to unseat the incumbent Republican Karen Callanan.  "People want to get the most for their tax dollars."   Herald News - December 12, 2005

He [McGuire] has earned a reputation as a financial watchdog on the [Joliet Township H.S.] board.   Herald News - January 22, 2004