Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ethics Taxes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents and watchdogs accuse treasurer of using tax-bill insert for campaign messaging
Summary
Multiple public commenters told the Kane County Board that a color insert in recent tax bills featuring Treasurer Chris Lawson amounted to campaign self-promotion and a misuse of public resources; callers urged investigation while the treasurer's report on strong investment returns drew separate praise.
Several residents told the Kane County Board during public comment on May 12 that a colorful insert that accompanied recent county tax bills amounted to campaign material for Treasurer Chris Lawson and should be reviewed by state and local authorities.
Todd Olsen of Elburn told the board that "Mister Lawson has used your tax bills as a Trojan horse to distribute his campaign literature" and urged the board to investigate whether the treasurer had given the same opportunity to other candidates. Denise Stiebel said the insert featured the treasurer's photo and campaign wording and characterized the placement as "a breach in public trust." Vicky Davidson also raised concerns about coordinated outside agitation at county meetings but distinguished that issue from the tax-bill question.
Lawson presented the board earlier in the meeting with a separate report on treasury performance. He told board members the county had seen much higher-than-expected investment income in recent years and described operational changes, including a new bank arrangement that pays for printing the tax bills while saving on postage. In that presentation he emphasized the scale of interest earnings and the changes in tax-bill features and distribution options.
Board members did not vote on the allegations during the meeting. Speakers asking for an investigation cited ethics rules and county and state oversight and asked whether the county's state's attorney had reviewed the insert prior to distribution; Denise Stiebel specifically asked whether the state's attorney had reviewed the insert and whether county staff assisted in preparing the slide materials shown at meetings.
The hearing record shows allegations and requests for review but does not include a direct oral response from Treasurer Lawson to the charge that the insert was campaign material; the treasurer's earlier presentation focused on investment income and operational changes rather than the content approval process for the insert.
What happens next: commenters asked the board or the state's attorney to review whether the insert violated county ethics rules or election laws. The board did not open a formal investigation at the meeting but several members and members of the public said they would seek further review outside the meeting.
