Kane County opponents to be?

A brewing political battle between two Kane County area lawmakers wasn’t on the agenda for a grass-roots meeting of conservatives Wednesday night, but that’s what began.

Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay delivered a state of the county address at an event sponsored by Americans for Prosperity. The not-for-profit describes itself as nonpartisan but has a history of backing and working with Republican candidates, including George Ryan, Judy Baar Topinka and Ron Gidwitz.

But as McConnaughay prepared to deliver a speech highlighting all the ways the county has tightened its belt under her leadership, state Sen. Chris Lauzen quietly circulated a chart around the room.

The chart appeared to show a 50 percent increase in the Kane County government portion of the local tax levy from 2003 to 2010. As the audience peppered McConnaughay with questions about why their home values were lower but their tax bills were higher, Lauzen stayed in the back of the room pointing to the chart and telling people the increasing Kane County tax levy was the problem.

Lauzen has been rumored to be considering a run for McConnaughay’s job for several months now. Neither he nor McConnaughay have publicly voiced their political plans for seeking office.

When McConnaughay finished speaking, Lauzen engaged her in side conversation. As he left the event, he was asked if he received an explanation from McConnaughay about the increasing levy his chart showed.

“That’s not for tonight,” Lauzen said. “That’s for another time.”

McConnaughay saw the chart for the first time only once Lauzen left. She immediately began shaking her head in disbelief.

“This is just really disingenuous,” McConnaughay said.

She explained what the chart actually shows is a steady increase of money coming to the county from taxpayers because of population growth, not because of increasing tax burdens imposed by county government.

The county’s tax rate has not changed. It’s collecting more money in the levy because there are more and more people in Kane County paying taxes, McConnaughay said.

Lauzen didn’t specifically say when he plans to speak about his chart. But he is slated to speak at the very next Americans for Prosperity event June 22.