2026 Election Questionnaire: Joseph Gottemoller, McHenry County Board, District 4
Joseph Gottemoller, an incumbent for the McHenry County Board, expressed his priorities including stopping tax increases and regaining local control over zoning decisions from the state legislature. He highlighted concerns about the state overruling local solar farm ordinances and emphasized the need for McHenry County to regulate data centers due to their high electricity and water consumption.
Joseph Gottemoller, a Republican incumbent seeking re-election to the McHenry County Board, District 4, outlined his priorities and stances in a questionnaire. A key focus for Gottemoller is to stop tax increases and maintain McHenry County's debt-free status, contrasting it with other Illinois counties. He also stressed the importance of regaining local control from the state legislature in Springfield, particularly regarding zoning decisions.
Gottemoller cited specific examples where state laws have overridden local authority, such as the predetermination of solar farm locations and the proposed elimination of single-family neighborhood zoning via the "Build Act." He argues that these decisions, which impact local lifestyles and property values, should be made by residents and local government. He noted that McHenry County's attempts to regulate solar farm projects were overruled by state law, and that other counties have challenged these laws, with outcomes potentially heading to the Supreme Court.
Addressing emerging challenges, Gottemoller expressed concern about data centers, stating that the current county ordinance is insufficient to regulate them. He highlighted their significant consumption of electricity, equating a full-size data center's usage to 1,600 Costco stores, and water, comparing it to a town of 50,000 people. He asserted that data centers should not be approved until they can be built without depleting shared public resources.
He also discussed the benefits of home rule authority for McHenry County, which he supports, to put it on equal footing with Cook County and prevent state laws from being imposed without local input. Gottemoller confirmed his law firm received two forgiven PPP loans during COVID-19, which helped retain employees. He supports reducing county headcount if federal grant funds expire to avoid going into debt.