Kane County Reporter

Candidate for Kane County Treasurer Chris Lauzen is calling on the Kane County Board to amend next year's budget proposal. He said his recommendation is necessary, "whether voters select me to supervise the process of this advantage for them or not."

“On behalf of my taxpaying neighbors, I am calling upon the Kane County Board today to immediately raise their interest income (non-property tax) revenue budget assumption for FY 11/30/23 by a full $2,000,000 before their final board vote on Nov. 8. 2022," Lauzen said. "This should help curb the Ruling Majority’s appetite for tax increases of any kind, their FY 2023 $15-16 million annual deficit spending, and $124,000,000 massive one-year reduction in projected year-end cash balances. The cash-on-cash return on county investments was 2.20% in FY 11/30/19, 1.06% in FY 11/30/20, and 0.47% last ear in FY 11/30/21. So far in FY 11/30/22, investments and demand accounts interest income (according to the10/26/22 Finance Committee report) is 1.88%; however, the interest income budget assumption that was given to the Board by the County’s investment manager on 6/27122 was only 1.00% for next year – during a time when interest rates are dramatically increasing."

Lauzen argued that the "$2,000,000 is an early Christmas present to taxpayers and the Board (!) nearly equal to the 5% cost-of-living property tax increase that they had to vote down recently."

"My sense of urgency for advocating that this more accurate assumption should be built into the budget now, regardless of the outcome of the election, is that, if the Board squanders just 90 days implementing the advantage, it will cost Kane County taxpayers $500,000 within next year’s budget," the former state senator and county board chairman said. "I’m sorry to say that the liberal-Democrat-controlled current County Board and administration has had almost two years to correct this very expensive deficiency ... but has not. This is the soft despotism of governance mediocre expectations. It’s time at the ballot box on Nov. 8 for Board Membership to change.”

Over the summer, Lauzen prepared an August 2022 mailer informing citizens about the proposed sales tax referendum. The referendum was eventually defeated at the Aug. 9 board meeting. Lauzen provided an update on his Facebook page stating that, "When board members are given accurate information, and when several members work together in a concerted way, taxpayer interests are protected… Effective leadership!" The proposed tax would have raised the county sales tax on every day items including gas, diapers, clothes, eyeglasses, and many more by $13-$15 million.

Lauzen's mailer read, "Politicians are saying that they need YOUR money more than YOU need your money." Lauzen laid out six reasons to oppose the tax. Lauzen says the county has $440,000,000 in bank reserves, prices are already up and this would make it worse, it allows politicians to punt the issue to voters instead of taking a stand for themselves, it is a regressive tax, which harms low-income people more than high-income people, it is a cynical strategy by both parties to get voters to the polls, and finally it is the latest in a series of tax hikes the board has wanted to impose. Lauzen led an effort that defeated this proposed referendum, and it will not be on the November ballot.

Lauzen, who is proud of his record in serving Kane County, is says he is running to improve return on county investments, to be a spending watchdog, and to improve services for taxpayers. He said he wants to increase the money earned on the county reserves by at least $1 million per year to decrease the tax burden, and he says he will strive for 100% transparency for taxpayers to know where their money is going. According to his campaign website, some of his accomplishments include cutting county debt by 70%, having a balanced budget each year without bailouts, and freezing some property taxes, saving taxpayers $99 million.