Calvin L. Skinner, Jr. Papers (Crystal Lake)

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-196

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The papers of Calvin L. Skinner, Jr. cover the years 1963 to 2000 and are separated into seven series: Regional Transportation Authority, Income Tax, Politicians, Subject Files, Legislative Bills, Title X, and Correspondence. The first series, the Regional Transportation Authority, is located in boxes 1-27 and contains the bulk of the collection. This series includes House and Senate bills and analyses, correspondence, and notes. It is concerned with the formation of and the opposition to the RTA. While there are a few files supporting the RTA, most of the series is dedicated to the disap- proval of the RTA as Skinner was at the head of the opposition. Of special interest are the photographs and a cassette tape of a report by S.H. Skolnick in box 27. Series II, Income tax, is housed in boxes 28 and 29, and is comprised of reports dealing mainly with the proposed temporary tax hike of 1983. The third series, Politicians, contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, and campaign material of public figures. The series begins in box 29 and continues through box 40. There are a few files on citizens that are not politicians, but the majority is devoted to legislators and would-be legislators. Series IV, Subject Files, includes correspondence, House and Senate bills, newspaper articles, and reports. The fifth series, Legislative Bills, contains House and Senate bills, House Joint Resolutions, information about HIV/AIDS as well as Appropriations on Education and Public Safety. Series VI, Title X, contains various information and articles surrounding the debate over Title X in McHenry County. The seventh series, Correspondence, is arranged chronologically from 1993-2000 and then alphabetically by subject or author.

Dates

created: 1963-2000
Other: Date acquired: 01/16/1990

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Biographical or Historical Information

Calvin L. Skinner, Jr. was born in Maryland in 1942. He received an A.B. in economics from Oberlin College in Ohio and an M.A. in public administration from the University of Michigan. Skinner and his family settled in Crystal Lake when he was a teenager, and although leaving to complete his education, he eventually returned to Crystal Lake and got into politics. He served as a budget examiner for the Small Business Administration for the U.S. Bureau of the Budget in Washington. In 1966, he became treasurer of McHenry County and then served as a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer before successfully running for the Illinois General Assembly as a representative of the 33rd District. He held this position until 1981, when an unsuccessful bid against a U.S. representative made him give up his seat. Among the committees he served on while a member of the Assembly were: Appropriations, Transportation (of which he was the Republican Spokesman), Human Resources, Legislative Audit Commission, Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission, Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Legislative Advisory Committee, and Chain-of-Lakes-Fox River Commission. Skinner served as a transportation consultant to House Speaker George Ryan after leaving office. The RTA was established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1973 and was ratified by Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in 1974. RTA's major function was to extend, update, and standardize the suburban bus, the commuter rail, and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) networks. RTA was to increase the productivity and the practicality of transportation services while regulating costs. Cal Skinner contested RTA on the grounds that it aided the CTA at the expense of the collar counties. He ran again in 1992 and was elected as the Representative of the 64^th District. He served as the Republican Spokesman for the Appropriations Committee that handles the Department of Transportation and Corrections budgets. His legislative goals included improving traffic flow at the intersection of Rountes 62 & 31, stopping rape and the spread of AIDS in our prison system and halting state income tax hikes. Skinner served until 2001 when he was defeated by Rosemary Kurtz.

Note written by

Extent

41.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

The papers of Calvin L. Skinner, Jr. are separated into seven series: Regional Transportation Authority, Income Tax, Politicians, Subject Files, Legislative Bills, Title X, and Correspondence. The seventh series, Correspondence, is arranged chronologically from 1993-2000 and then alphabetically by subject or author.

Source of Acquisition

Calvin L. Skinner Jr

Method of Acquisition

Calvin L. Skinner Jr., former McHenry County representative to the Illinois General Assembly, donated his personal and legislative papers to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center on November 10, 1989 and January 16, 1990.

Accruals and Additions

Addenda were added at later dates.

Related Materials

Other related collections include The Star Reporter Collection (RC 131), with Skinner's father's as the publisher of the newspaper and the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission Records (RC 159). Governmental collections include the papers of Dennis J. Collins, Joseph Ebbesen, and David Shapiro (RC 5, RC 168, RC 174) and Jack Schaffer (VFM 19.31).