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Full Name: Todd Milliron
What office are you seeking? Kendall County Board District One
What offices, if any, have you previously held? 2015 and 2020 member of the Kendall County Solid Waste Advisory Committee and local government transparency activist/watchdog.
City: Unincorporated Yorkville
Occupation: Independent insurance agent, 35 years in business in Kendall County
Education: BS in political science, graduated Kansas State University, Dec. 1986
Campaign Website: https://www.facebook.com/Todd4kendall/ AND https://toddm4kendall.org/
Property taxes in Kendall County are consistently among the highest in Illinois. What would you do as a county board member to limit the continued increases residents see on their property tax bills?
The Kendall County Board has not taken a CPI (Consumer Price Index) Increase in over 5 years, which is a good thing. That said, there has been no real reduction in the county tax levy. I have a proven track record, consistently for the last 14 years, year in and year out of ferreting out government waste, fraud and abuse at the local government level. My activism was instrumental in Oswego Township, where we were successful in cutting that township’s levy. Property tax relief is critical and it needs to be addressed at the county level. Since 2008 I have been advocating to put the county checkbook online, so everyone can see how the county spends your tax dollars. The Oswego Township checkbook now gets published every month and the spending shenanigans have ceased, something that was a result of my persistent activism. Property tax relief is critical and it needs to be addressed at the county level. There is more to do, I will not back down. I have no problem holding elected government officials accountable for their spending of your tax dollars and have done so consistently.
Is there fat in the county budget? If so, please identify which departments or programs that you would work to either curtail or eliminate to save funds.
The county health insurance plan is a Platinum Contract, it is the third largest line item in the county budget. I have significant experience in the Individual and group health insurance market. On Jan. 2, 2022 the county wrote a $537,000 check to fund employees’ HSA Accounts, something that is being funded in cash, upfront for the entire calendar year. I would use a debit card arrangement and pay as needed for incurred employee healthcare expenses.
I think it will save around $300,000 annually and will also prevent terminated employees from walking out the door with an entire year’s benefit, when that employee did not work for the entire 12 months. No other employer I know funds an HSA Acct at 100%, or pays it in cash for the whole year on Jan. 2 each year, but Kendall County does, year in and year out. The reason provided by the county is that this is the easiest thing to do. I believe that no one wants to spend the time to track this line item.
Does the county sheriff’s office require additional funding and/or staff to combat crime in the unincorporated Boulder Hill subdivision or elsewhere in the county? If yes, where would those funds come from and how should they be used?
Most of the Kendall County Patrol Section manpower is already focused on the Boulder Hill area, one of the largest unincorporated subdivions in the United States. The new Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity Today Act - better known as the SAFE-T Act kicks in on Jan. 1, 2023. One of the key provisions of this new law is “No-Bail” for many non-violent offenses, which means many offenders will be released and not jailed for a criminal offense. As a result, the sheriff will not need as much jail staff or jail cells to house prisoners unable to make bail. Only half the county’s jail capacity is expected to be used and some KCSD Corrections Staff will not needed. So, the payroll saving realized from corrections, can be reallocated to the KCSD Patrol Section.
The 2022-2023 “BIG ASK” from Sheriff Baird is for around $625,000 for 10 “Take Home” squad cars for this budget year and another $625,000 next year for another 10 “Take Home” squad cars for his patrol deputies.
I am the only non-incumbent candidate to sit through this year’s budget hearing (Something I have done many times since 2008). That is the reason I know about this big ask, which was well received by the Kendall County Board. More than likely, this squad car ask will be a capital expenditure and funded by the Public Safety Sales Tax. This can be easily done because the last installment of the county’s jail bond is being paid off in Dec. 2022.
As a county board member, would you support increased funding and the hiring of additional staff for the Kendall County Health Department?
One of the stated goals of the county health department is to connect our most vulnerable Kendall County residents to Health Dept. assets that reduce socioeconomic duress and promote positive mental health. The 708 Mental Health Board was created by county referendum fifty years ago that established its own property tax levy. If the Mental Health Board determines that additional funding is needed, I would support a referendum to put that public question on the ballet and let the votes of Kendall County decide.
Do you support ongoing efforts by local municipal and county officials to bring Metra commuter rail service to Kendall County?
Only if the citizens of Kendall County approve it by a referendum vote, which means a vote for a (new) Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Tax. Otherwise, we need to quit spending precious time and money planning for something that a majority of county residents are unwilling to fund or pay for. A referendum decision needs to be made before making any new additional investments, let the citizens decide. The sooner the better, then I will know where the majority is and I will support the will of the people.
Would you support the county joining the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) as a condition for obtaining the service?
Only if there is an RTA tax referendum vote and the majority votes for Metra train service to Kendall County. Put it to a vote and the sooner the better, let the people decide.
How would you assess the county’s efforts to date to lure new businesses and industries to the county?
We can do more in this area, there is room for improvement and better communication; someone needs to do a better job of selling Kendall County. We have some of the best roads in the state and a highly educated work force. Soon we will be one of the first in Illinois to have a county-owned fast internet funded by the federal infrastructure bill, our plan is already shovel-ready so we should be one of the first counties in line for federal dollar funding. The county plan/network design is for 13 rings and the Rings are designed to get a 250MB Internet Service Provider (ISP) connection to within 1-mile of the most rural locations in the county of Kendall, then each citizen chooses an ISP provider who will compete for their business, keeping the cost of internet down and making Kendall County a great place grow, learn, compete and to start a new business.
What would you push for as a member of county government to boost local businesses?
Cut red tape and make county government more friendly to new business endeavors with a dedicated point of contact person for prompt permitting and quickly answering any related government business questions.
If elected, will you enroll in the county employee health insurance program?
Nope, this is something I have advocated for in the past. The Kendall County Board is considered a part-time gig. I led on this issue years ago and if you lead from the front, you must walk the walk and not waffle once you are elected. My answer is a firm, no!
What actions can the Kendall County Board take to minimize the tax burden on residents while, not sacrificing services?
Make sure that county residents are only taking their one entitled Homestead Property Tax Exemption. In June, 2022, I discovered that a Village of Oswego Trustee was taking two Homestead Exemptions, he is only entitled to one Homestead Property Tax Exemption. That situation was promptly corrected based upon my documented research and that person is now paying what he legally owes. I have an idea for cross referencing different county data bases to discover other errors made in the granting of property tax exemptions. If everyone pays their correct and rightful property tax burden, then no one else should have to pay more.
Do you support decreasing local property taxes? If so, how would the county make up the difference?
Kendall County has been operating on a pretty lean budget for at least 5 years and has not taken the automatic CPI increase for over 5 years, which I have stated already is a good thing! There is always room for improvement and more can be done. I shared some my ideas already and if some of those ideas can be implemented, I believe we can lower the county levy. Putting the county checkbook online, for everyone to see, will assist our elected officials to better determine what is an absolute need vs a want.
How would you encourage economic and employment growth within Kendall County?
Publicize and sell the tools we already have in the county’s economic toolbox and highlight some of the tax break incentives that we already have in place. Be open to other and new job creation incentives that are long term and can be sustained. I am willing to listen and try new things that could work and be tracked as cost effective.
Do you think there is a local crime problem? If so, what needs to be done about it?
I feel safe in Kendall County. We raised our 3 children here in Kendall County and our local school system did a great job preparing them for the outside world. All three are now thriving. If all of us who have children take our parenting responsibilities seriously, lead by xxample, live by the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule, most children absorb those values. My thinking is if we did a good job as a parent, the sky is the limit for that individual. It is my opinion that most of the crime in our county is related to individuals addicted to drugs and making irrational/intoxicated drug related decisions. My motto is, If you see something, say something and the sooner the better. Then there can be an intervention and we can get those individuals back on a path to being a productive citizen.
What local road and bridge projects should be a priority to get done in the county?
Wolf Crossing Road and Collins Road Extension In Oswego Township, that part of the County has some traffic bottle necks and it will get the needed funding for more road capacity and make it safer to drive these two heavily use roads.
Do you support stronger county government ethics laws? What measures do you support?
Yes, I am the only Kendall County Board Candidate that has actually filed a valid ethics complaint in the County of Kendall. I have been a target of certain elected officials misusing their office. The present ethics commission as it is constituted focuses on ethics complaints against county officials for alleged violations of the Gift Ban Act and other prohibited political activities. There is no real County of Kendall codification for what else could be considered an ethics violation and the State of Illinois just passed the 5 ILCS Guidance Illinois Governmental Ethics Act on 1-1-22. So yes, this is something we need to look at and update accordingly. I have first hand experience in this area, so I will share my citizen friendly ideas and work on this issue to bring current with state law.
What are your thoughts on the Illinois Freedom of Information Act?
I know how to use FOIA and have used it frequently to unearth local government waste, fraud and abuse. It is a necessary tool, unfortunately the backlog at the Illinois Public Access Counselor (PAC) Office is unbearable and it makes getting a ruling very drawn out. I have been right many times, yet it has taken a considerable amount of time to get the requested government information released with a PAC ruling. I have learned to be patient, because one must either depend on the PAC or be prepared to pay their own lawyer.
Please state your plan to maintain government transparency.
Put the county checkbook online, continue to be vigilant and win or lose, I will not give up or backdown. You want to know what’s going on in Kendall County, elect Todd Milliron, someone who has been in the room continuously over three decades, one that frequently shows up and attends local government meetings, one who regularly watches/participates and speaks frequently during citizen comments. No one on the ballot for Kendall County Board has been a more vocal transparency advocate than Todd Milliron and we made progress, because I was in the room. Now I want to vote on the county budget and help to determine county policies and guide Kendall County forward into where there is even more sunlight.
Should government employees and officials be allowed to sign nondisclosure agreements with private businesses?
If you are an elected official, you are to be held to a higher standard of conduct and general behavior. Some private business non-disclosure agreements are oon-monetary and pertain to trade secrets or other related matters, which have nothing to do with bad or unethical behavior. So, my answer would be dependent on the circumstances for the need for a non-disclosure agreement. If the non-disclosure agreement, pertains to bad or unethical behavior and the elected official is attempting to hide something, then it should also be a concern to the general public and my answer would be a strong, no.
Would you push for or against government officials and employees being allowed to sign non-disclosure agreements with private businesses?
It would depend on the facts and the circumstances for the purpose or perceived need for the proposed NDA. Either way, I believe it is something that should be required to be disclosed by an elected official who has entered into a NDA.