Candidates offer fresh perspective in Kane County race

The ballots have not been cast yet, but it is certain that the Democratic nominee for the Kane County Board seat in District 20 will be young and Hispanic.

On Feb. 5, voters will choose between Jesus de la Isla, who was appointed to the post, and challenger Christina Castro for the Elgin-based seat.

De la Isla, 28, and Castro, 29, both believe their youth and fresh perspective are assets.

Both are also are involved in their communities.

De la Isla has served on Elgin's Northeast Neighborhood Association board and is precinct committeeman.

Castro is president of the Elgin Hispanic Network and helped organize Fiesta Salsa.

That's where their similarities end, however.

De la Isla, who owns a start-up Web site to provide Internet access to low-income people, said his top priority is "following up and enforcing" Kane County's 2030 Lane Resource Management Plan and encouraging municipalities to control their growth.

Castro, a marketing and communications assistant at Elgin Community College, says her top priority is transportation.

"Increasing the mobility of residents in and out of my district is both needed and possible," Castro said.

With the county facing declining revenues, de la Isla wants to limit overtime in county departments and have towns contribute more for animal control.

"Without a doubt, running a tight ship is of utmost importance," he said.

Castro plans to review the county's previous budgets and analyze where costs have risen, and why, and go from there.

De la Isla was appointed in November 2006 to fill a vacancy created after Marlena Fox stepped down when she got a new job that didn't allow her time to devote to the board seat.

The winner will square off against Republican Larry Wegman in November's general election. Wegman is the lone Republican running.

District 20 covers parts of Elgin's east side, bordered by the Fox River, I-90, the county line two blocks east of Liberty Street and Highland Avenue and Laurel streets.