Kane County Forest Preserve commissioners likely will decide next month whether to ask voters to support a $50 million open-space and preserve-improvement referendum in the April 4 election.

Brook McDonald, president and CEO of The Conservation Foundation, on Tuesday (Dec. 13, 2016) presented the commission with some of the findings of an open-space-referendum survey the commission recently conducted by polling about 400 Kane County voters.

“Your off-year voters are a different demographic,” McDonald said. “So we zeroed in on high-frequency voters who we’re pretty sure will be voting this spring.”

According to the poll’s findings, a $50 million open-space referendum would have a strong chance of passing.

The poll presented both positive and negative arguments for an open-space referendum, then asked whether the respondents would vote for or against a referendum.

McDonald said the proposal received about 60 percent core support. Core opposition measured about 20 percent. McDonald said the remaining 20 percent were made up of “switch voters” or “battleground voters,” who essentially were undecided at the end of the survey.

The recent poll numbers were consistent with results the organization had received in polling prior to other successful open-space referendums.

Kane County’s most-recent open-space referendum took place April 5, 2011, when voters approved a $30 million referendum for open space and forest preserve improvements. The referendum passed by a margin of 17,136 to 12,372.

Forest Preserve commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting said a 2017 referendum would also seek to improve existing preserves as well as purchase property.

Former Forest Preserve District President John Hoscheit said the Forest Preserve District has kept its promises to add land as well as to upgrade the property so that the open space is accessible and can be enjoyed.

“We’ve tried to add 2,500 to 3,000 acres, but there’s also quite a bit of demand to improve the properties we already own,” he said. “Part of this process is to identify projects the citizens most want to see done. The important thing, from our perspective, is that the community has supported this through the years. They feel like this is their investment.”

Forest Preserve District President Michael Kenyon, who was re-elected by his peers Tuesday, said the commission has to endorse a referendum by January if it is to go to referendum in April. He also thanked the Conservation Foundation for conducting the poll.

“These referendum processes are not inexpensive,” he said. “The homework they’ve done — we’re very fortunate to have their expertise.”

McDonald said the polling indicated “no difference” in results supporting a referendum of $30 million or $50 million. He said the numbers were still favorable for a $70 million request.

For the owner of a $250,000 home, the estimated tax burden would be about $1.83 a month.

County Board member Drew Frasz said the recent refinancing of Forest Preserve District bonds means residents could see a significant reduction in their property taxes — as much as $40 — which also improves the prospects for a referendum. Even if the referendum were to pass, property owners would pay less than they do now.

“Your tax bill is going to go down, just not quite as much,” he said.

McDonald said the polling also showed a high satisfaction with the Forest Preserve District’s performance in keeping the promises it made in the 2011. A full list of added open space and amenities is included in the Forest Preserve District’s 2016 Progress Report.

“You can be relatively confident, if you did put this on the ballot, you would get support for the $50 million referendum,” McDonald told the commission. “People understand that open space is the ultimate tax cap.”

2016 Kane FPD Referendum Polling Summary

SOURCE: Conservation Foundation

Cost

• $50 million — $22/year for $250,000 home
• 81 percent agreed that $1.83/month is a small price to pay to preserve and protect open space in Kane County

Core Analysis

• Core Support — 60 percent (support rose to mid-60s with more information)
• Core Opposed — 20 percent
• Battleground (switch) — 20 percent (mostly for support with more information)

Regional Support

• Aurora —  72 percent support
• East Half of County (not Aurora) — 72 percent Support
• West Half of County —  56 percent support

Political Affiliation

• Republican — 56 percent support
• Democrat — 86 percent support
• Independent — 68 percent support

FPD Reputation

• Favorable — 87 percent
• Confidence to Spend Wisely — 81 percent great deal/fair amount

Top Best Uses of Funds (in addition to purchasing and preserving land)

• Trails, Fishing, Outdoor Recreation — 87 percent
• Preserve and Restore Wildlife Habitat — 88 percent
• Purchase Land to Protect Drinking Water Sources — 85 percent
• Nature Education for Children and Adults — 84 percent
• Protect Watershed, Improve Water Quality, Fox River, Streams and Lakes — 88 percent

Altruistic Appeals (Ranked By Total Degree)

• With land prices at low levels and the amount of natural lands dwindling we must act now to preserve our last remaining open space for our children and our grandchildren before they are lost to development. — 83 percent
• Preserving open space can play an important role in controlling over-development and slowing urban sprawl. — 86 percent
• Preserving open space can play a very important role in preserving the quality of life in Kane County. — 83 percent

Wording of 2011 Referendum

PROPOSITION TO ISSUE $30,000,000.00 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS

Shall the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, Illinois, borrow money and issue general obligation bonds in the amount of $30,000,000.00 to acquire and preserve forests and natural lands, protect wildlife habitats, enhance flood control, improve hiking and biking trails and fishing and other recreational areas, provide forest and wildlife education programs and improve forest preserves, wetlands and prairies, all in accordance with the purposes authorized by the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act of the State of Illinois, as amended?