Letter: April Fools Day tax referendum

Taxpayers are government’s “bankers of last resort.” When politicians overspend and over-tax in fiscally irresponsible ways, it’s ultimately up to us taxpayers to say “NO MORE.”

According to its audited financial statements filed with the Illinois State Comptroller, the Kane County Board’s ruling Democrat super majority and its chairman have increased significantly the size of county government spending in just the past four years by 88%, nearly doubling general fund spending from $66 million according to the 2020 Comprehensive Financial Report to $124 million in the 2024 county budget.

Now reflexively, their so-called “solution” is to ask you for a staggering $51 million annual increase every year into the future in sales tax applied to your sales taxable purchases. If the referendum passes, inflation (due to this mandatory tax) will increase.

No doubt that folks who want to reach more deeply into your pockets, this time for a $51 million sales tax increase, will make all kinds of disingenuous “de minimis” arguments that it’s only a $150 increase on $20,000 of annual sales taxable purchases for the typical Kane County family, including gas (!), diapers, hardware store supplies, etc.

However, you recognize that it’s “death by a thousand cuts” again. This sales tax increase is on top of their recently raising the county portion of your property taxes for the first time in 12 years only two weeks after they were reelected in November 2024.

If passed, this referendum will increase taxes and reward politicians who have massively increased spending in only four years. We’re government’s “bankers of last resort.” My family will be voting “No.”

Chris Lauzen

Aurora