Kane County Passes Resolution Calling for State Reform
Maybe this is what government should look like.
You take a controversial issue. You discuss it in open forum, listen to a variety of opinions, make changes and compromises, and you end up with something that’s better than what you started with. You build consensus. You get something done. You move forward.
The Kane County Board voted 21-3 on Tuesday to support a revised resolution supporting reform in Springfield. The final version of the resolution is presented below.
Scott Roscoe, president of the Fox Valley Building and Trade Council and a resident of Aurora, thanked the County Board for drafting a resolution based on consensus. At several previous committee meetings, when the resolution was being drafted, union members packed the boardroom.
“Many have spoken emotionally,” Roscoe said. “And I know that your work has not been easy. (But) we all agree Springfield has work to do, and that Kane County has to maintain that relationship.
“I commend our County Board members for working together,” he said. “These issues are not Republican or Democrat, union or nonunion. Look around at the folks behind you. They teach your children. They are building our schools and hospitals. They work hard to be good and productive members of our community.”
Kane County Board member Ron Ford of Aurora said the resolution was a good example of the County Board’s nonpartisan approach to problem solving.
“We have to continue to look at what we can accomplish for our future,” he said. “I believe our future rides along with technology, and there are other things we need to address (that were not included in the resolution), but I applaud our approach to this. I looked into it, and it was the way to go — to come up with our own response.”
Board member Theresa Barreiro, also of Aurora, agreed that the board’s intent from Day One had been to find common ground.
“If everyone would have read what was on the screen, they would have understood what we were trying to do,” she said, referring to the draft resolution projected for audience viewing at committee meetings. “I hope everyone understands this is Kane County’s resolution on reform in Springfield, not the governor’s resolution on reform in Springfield.”
Drew Frasz, a County Board member from Elburn, said he would have liked the resolution to endorse some of the reforms presented in Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Illinois Turnaround agenda, including lawsuit reform and empowerment zones.
“The dire condition of our state has been well documented,” he said. “Our new governor and our legislature have a daunting task. At its core, Illinois is in need of reform.”
But Cristina Castro of Elgin pointed out that the resolution would not have gained her support if it contained those bullet points.
“This is a bipartisan effort,” she said. “While my good colleague to my left would like to see empowerment zones, I would not. It takes a lot to come up with something like this. Let’s show what Kane County does well. Is it perfect? No. Is it better, is it good? I think it is. That’s why we work very well as a county. Hopefully, our governor in Springfield will see that.”
Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen thanked audience members and elected officials for their participation and their patience with the process. He acknowledged that board members on each end of the political spectrum might not be happy with every clause of the resolution, but he also praised them for agreeing on language he felt was “positive and constructive.”
The three County Board members who voted against the resolution were Myrna Molina, Don Ishmael and Maria Vazquez.
COUNTY OF KANE RESOLUTION NO. 15-156
KANE COUNTY RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT REFORM IN SPRINGFIELD
WHEREAS, the Kane County Board recognizes the elected leadership of the Chief Executive, House Speaker, and Senate President of the fifth largest state in the country; and
WHEREAS, the State leadership faces critical challenges dealing with the financial burdens of Illinois and a nationwide lack of confidence in the credit markets regarding Illinois, and looks to all citizens and organizations and government units for expertise and good will, seeking solutions to shape the future we share; and
WHEREAS, the Kane County Board is concerned that Kane County citizens fear rising taxes, the departure of businesses and their neighbors to other states, and the deterioration of their school buildings and State roads; and
WHEREAS, all members of the Kane County Board want to be a part of the solution, part of the problem-solving; and
WHEREAS, although we may not agree on everything … all the time … with everyone, we nonetheless engage in the process, participate, and listen closely to each other; and
WHEREAS, we seek to emphasize the “positive” and areas where we agree, rather than to dwell on the “negative” and areas where there are disagreement and a need for greater understanding; and
WHEREAS, the County of Kane by its elected Chairman, Countywide Officers, County Board, and 1,250 staff are charged with providing services to the 525,000 citizens whom we represent by means of fair and respectful treatment, abiding by its annual budget, and best practices and transparent management; and
WHEREAS, said services are provided by Kane County’s Health, Transportation, Development, Community Reinvestment, Water & Environmental Resources, Finance, IT, and Veterans Affairs Departments, its Court system and diversionary treatments, its Treasurer, Auditor, County Clerk, Supervisor of Assessments, Recorder, Superintendent of the Regional Office of Education, and Coroner working together to build the County budget and conduct its daily business; and
WHEREAS, the Kane County Board is doing its best to provide a good example by freezing our property tax levy for four years in a row … because we have a “legislature” and “executive” who are determined to produce property tax relief; and
WHEREAS, the Kane County Board recognizes the fiscal discipline that is necessary to make a defined benefit pension plan properly solvent and has made full actuarially recommended annual payments for at least the past three years, along with additional annual payments to reduce its unfunded liability; and
WHEREAS, the Kane County Judiciary, Circuit Clerk, State’s Attorney, Public Defender, Sheriff, Court Services, and County Board have researched with its Information Technologies Department and purchased a multimillion-dollar technology solution to bring all aspects of Court management into one protocol, and are presently deploying said solution for the most accurate, fair, ethical, efficient, and cost-effective treatment of all citizens within the civil and criminal Kane County Courts; and
WHEREAS, the Kane County Health Department is nationally accredited and has formed partnerships not only with the County’s hospitals and clinicians, and mental health and social agencies, but also with transportation and planning and agriculture and community wellness entities for organizing health initiatives and the betterment of all Kane County residents; and
WHEREAS, with regard to disputed issues, Kane County has found it has been most successful when affected parties are identified and then vested as partners with each gaining something and each giving up something and all participants credited with successfully negotiatinga solution, as in our regular salary and benefits discussion with our union and nonunion personnel;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that spending and revenue reforms must be top priorities within a transparent process; and
BE IT RESOLVED, within pension reform, there needs to be protection for current retirees which keeps the promise for work already done. The program for current and future employees should be created by the parties involved, recognizing that it must be sustainable by both employees and taxpayers and fully funded according to actuarial standards;
BE IT RESOLVED, there needs to be an agency-by-agency review of spending cuts and consolidation, perhaps including the recombination of the Comptroller and Treasurer’s Offices which will save the State literally millions.
BE IT RESOLVED, Income Tax, the “assessment” on work and savings (both are activities that we all encourage), should be kept low and competitive.
BE IT RESOLVED, only after spending cuts and consolidations are in place, Sales Tax should be reformed and modernized, with perhaps a slightly lower rate, but a reasonable broader base.
BE IT RESOLVED, we agree that we ought to have a truly balanced budget, based on accurate accrual accounting, i.e. without the carry-forward of unpaid past due bills, with an effective constitutional provision to enforce it.
BE IT RESOLVED, we support the legislative tenets agreed to by Cook and the Collar Counties regarding legislation granting additional permissive authorities for counties such as House Bill 3318 and Senate Bill 1336, which will allow Kane County to construct the necessary expansion of the Judicial Center.
BE IT RESOLVED, we support, as above, legislation allowing counties to expand nonproperty tax revenue sources, such as Senate Bill 804, which will allow Kane County to recoup security costs from those who use the courthouse rather than all property taxpayers.
BE IT RESOLVED, we oppose, as above, unfunded mandates imposed by the state government, such as Senate Bill 59, which addresses the unfunded mandate imposed on Kane County through increased jury fee costs.
BE IT RESOLVED, we oppose, as above, legislation that would reduce the existing authority of county government.
BE IT RESOLVED, we oppose, as above, proposals that seek to merge underfunded pension systems with fully funded pension systems.
BE IT RESOLVED, we oppose, as above, individual proposals that erode existing revenue that are not part of a larger proposal approved by Cook and the Collar Counties.
BE IT RESOLVED that the Kane County Board recognizes that reform starts with consideration for fairness and execution of best practices to reach solutions acceptable to all participating parties, and that compromise is an integral part of all our efforts for the betterment of the State of Illinois as described herein.
Passed by the Kane County Board on May 12, 2015.
