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Public commenters press Kane County treasurer over campaign insert in property tax bills
Summary
Multiple residents told the county finance committee the treasurer inserted a campaign-style flyer into this year's property tax bills and urged investigation; the treasurer defended the mailing as negotiated with the county's new operating bank and said printing was provided as part of the contract package.
Several residents used the public-comment period at the Kane County Finance and Budget Committee's May 27 meeting to demand answers and possible investigation into a campaign-style insert that was mailed with this year's property tax bills.
Miss Denise Theel told the committee she wanted direct answers about the insert's legal review and cost, asking: "Did you submit your campaign-style insert for legal review before it was mailed alongside official tax documents to nearly 200,000 taxpayers?" She also asked who paid for design, printing and mailing and why the treasurer's department received budget increases while other departments were directed to cut spending.
Other public commenters expressed similar concerns. Vicky Davidson Bell called the flyer an "advertisement" and asked whether the consulting firm that printed it had received improper benefit. Todd Olsen accused the treasurer of using tax bills as a "Trojan horse" for campaign literature and urged the county board to take action. Ed Munt asked that interest and investment reporting be more frequent and asked whether the treasurer would resign if investigations find misappropriated funds: "if you are found of misappropriated taxpayer funds or violated campaign laws, will you do the honorable thing and resign?" he asked.
The treasurer responded during his report, defending the mailing and the office's broader operations. He said the county changed operating banks after an RFP and that printing of the insert was part of the bank package negotiated with the new operating bank; in his words, "The printing is free. It was negotiated with JP Morgan Chase three years ago, not during a campaign." He added that the county saved about $10,000 on postage through the procurement process.
The treasurer and staff also referenced a letter from the state's attorney's office. The Treasurer said Jamie Moser's letter, provided to the board, characterized the earlier First American correspondence as an administrative matter. The county's state's attorney later told the committee the office has been advising county officials and that initial advice viewed the First American matter as administrative rather than a legal prohibition.
The committee did not take formal disciplinary action at the meeting. Committee members and staff asked for clarity on procurement, legal review and spending; the auditor and state's attorney described steps to provide documentation or legal advice as needed. No vote on the treasurer's conduct was held; public commenters asked the board and legal offices to investigate or provide fuller reconciliations going forward.
What happens next: committee members asked staff to ensure departments and elected offices provide required documentation and to follow up on any open questions about legal review, procurement and the fiscal impacts of the mailing.
