Kane County Forest Preserve District wants $30 mil tax hike

The Kane County Forest Preserve District is looking to capitalize on cheap land prices and its relative popularity with taxpayers by asking them for $30 million of new money to do what the district does best.

Voters will see a question on April ballots asking for approval of a $30 million tax increase. The money would be used solely for land purchases to preserve open space. The district currently has about 18,800 acres right now. District President John Hoscheit said the goal of the tax increase is to push that acreage closer to the maximum amount of land any forest preserve district can have: 55,000 acres.

“There were properties targeted before that we didn't get that were sold for development and have now come back to the market because they never were developed,” Hoscheit said. “The price of those properties is now a fraction of what we would've had to pay back then. The process of land acquisition is going to continue. The question is when do we do that. Is it now?”

The Conservation Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses primarily on Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Will counties, will help promote the tax increase question. President Brook McDonald said a privately-funded poll his group did in September showed a 75 percent approval rating for the district. However, questions about voter support for an April tax increase showed no clear outcome.

“This thing would be close,” McDonald said. “If you do decide to move forward, it's important the vote be unanimous.”

That didn't happen.

Commissioner T.R. Smith said he informally polled residents in his district and found a decidedly negative reaction to the idea of a tax increase. Sun City residents particularly frowned on the idea.

“These peoples' 401(k) accounts have become 101(k) accounts,” Smith said. “I feel the timing is completely wrong on this. I don't think our voters will be in favor of it. And, if it's put on the ballot, it will reflect poorly on us.”

The majority of forest preserve commissioners (who are all county board members) disagreed with that sentiment. Most believed voters at least want the choice to say “yes” or “no.” Board member Monica Silva was the only other “no” vote. Board member Jim Mitchell initially voted “no,” but changed his mind when the outcome was clear in hopes of presenting a unified front to voters.

Cristina Castro, Donnell Collins, Mike Kenyon and Bonnie Kunkel were absent from the vote.

If voters approve the tax increase, Hoscheit said the impact to the “average” homeowner would cost about $1 more per month in property taxes to the district.