Democrat Linder blasts opponent Republican County Board member Wallace for vote to increase levy 5% for Kane Forest Preserve

ST. CHARLES – Democrat Michael Linder called out his opponent, Republican incumbent Todd Wallace, for voting to increase the tax levy for the Kane County Forest Preserve District after Wallace vowed never to vote for a tax increase during a candidate forum.

Wallace and Linder are vying to represent Kane County District 13 in the Nov. 8 General Election. The district includes parts of Geneva and St. Charles. Both are St. Charles residents. Kane County Board members also serve as Forest Preserve Commissioners.

“I will never vote to increase taxes,” Wallace said at a Sept. 27 League of Women Voters candidate forum. “And if that is the only solution we can come up with, we’re not trying hard enough.”

Wallace, an attorney, had also suggested at the forum that department heads could come up with ways to increase efficiencies, rather than to increase taxes.

But Linder, a retired teacher, blasted Wallace’s apparent about-face on tax increases at Forest Preserve Commission meeting on Oct. 11.

“In a vote taken there, Wallace joined the majority in approving an increase in the Forest Preserve District’s levy of 5%, plus the value of any ‘new construction’ in the county,” Linder’s email stated.

The vote would increase tax revenue nearly $377,000, and new construction would add an estimated $65,000 to $90,000, depending on when taxes are extended in the spring, Linder’s email stated.

In a responsive email, Wallace differentiated the role of being a County Board member from that of being a Forest Preserve commissioner.

“At the LWV (League of Women Voters) forum in September, I indeed expressed that I would not vote to raise taxes as a County Board member,” Wallace’s email stated.

“The forest preserve budget is minimal is comparison to nearby counties, and the nominal increase is necessary to carry out this purpose which the voters have directly endorsed,” Wallace’s email stated. “In order for the forest preserve district to continue to develop and maintain these holdings, funds are needed.”

Wallace also cited voter support for the Forest Preserve District to acquire and preserve open space in Kane County as further justification for his vote to support a levy increase. Since 2006, voters approved for the Forest Preserve District to acquire more than 8,500 acres, his email stated.

Linder’s email chided Wallace for his Oct. 24 vote not to increase the county’s levy, but to use $16.3 million of reserve funds to balance its 2023 budget.

“In comments in discussion prior to the Oct. 24 vote, Wallace said, ‘We need to lead. We can’t pass an expense like this along to taxpayers,’” Linder’s email stated. “So, Mr. Wallace believes (the) County Board has to lead by not increasing taxes, but the Forest Preserve District does not need to be concerned about taxpayers?”

Wallace defended his vote, stating in his email that the county has an eight-figure deficit with the primary cause being the SAFE-T Act, “a poorly constructed unfunded mandate from Springfield and will not end up being implemented in its current form.”

“If it is implemented and ends up ballooning our staff just to monitor compliance with this asinine law, we have chosen to utilize reserve funds to pay for it,” Wallace’s email stated. “If these funds are available, why should we be imposing higher taxes to pay for something that likely won’t happen?”

Linder’s email stated he believes the County Board has to strike a balance between maintaining county services and keeping taxes as low as possible.

“I agree … this would not be a great time for a tax increase,” Linder’s email stated. “But at the rate of spending $16.3 million is reserves annually, the day of reckoning is coming quickly, and if not resolved, will put Kane County in a position to ask for even larger tax increases in coming years. We need to speak honestly with each other and our voters about the budget and taxes.”