Kelli Wegener: 2024 candidate for McHenry County chairperson

Bio

Party: Democrat

Office Sought: McHenry County Board Chairperson

City: Crystal Lake

Age: 53

Occupation: Financial Manager

Previous offices held: Current McHenry County Board Member

Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?

Public service has always been my top priority. Whether volunteering for local causes, serving on nonprofit boards, or serving on the McHenry County Board, I have always served my community. In my six years on the County Board, I have seen many ways in which the board is out of touch. I am running for County Board Chairperson to ensure that the board is working for the community with transparency and integrity. In particular, we must crack down on unnecessary spending by the County, along with property tax increases that our residents cannot afford. As a former bank auditor, I have always been a budget hawk and as Chairperson, will make this my top priority.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

Lowering taxes will be my top priority. As a County Board Member, I voted against pay raises and unnecessary benefits for elected officials. Right now, McHenry County is not using all the tools available to lower property taxes. As Chair, I’ll explore new ways to promote responsible economic growth and use tax dollars more effectively. I will also ensure greater transparency regarding the county’s finances and contract procurement. Our residents deserve to know exactly where every dollar is spent. Another priority will be passing a Responsible Bidding Ordinance. This approach, successfully implemented in other counties with bipartisan support, ensures our county employs local, union labor. In the past 6 years, I have worked hard to represent and advocate for county residents. I review every department budget closely, worked with US Reps to bring in $7.5 million in grants for local infrastructure projects, advocated for mental health/addiction services, and fought for ballot dropboxes.

Describe your position regarding the balance between county spending and revenues as it exists today, then describe the chief threats you see looming in the future and how the county should deal with them.

Under the current Republican leadership, we have had frequent increases in our property taxes. It’s time we look into alternative revenue sources, invest in economic growth opportunities, and focus on the people in McHenry County. They have been using your tax dollars to hire out-of-state contractors, even though there are local residents in need of work and projects within the county that remain unfinished. By spurring economic growth and using local contractors, we can keep the tax dollars local and ultimately reduce property taxes. We need to pass a Responsible Bidding Ordinance to prioritize local, union labor and explore the issuance of bonds to avoid constant property tax increases on our hard-working residents.

McHenry County should also be applying for every state and local grant possible to help offset operating and capital expenses. I’ve identified county projects for which grants were available to help cover significant expenses, but these grants were never applied for.

Does there need to be more bipartisanship and cooperation on the county board? If yes, what would you do to help make that happen?

Absolutely, and this is a critical part of why I am running. The role of the Board Chair is largely non-partisan; they set agendas and run meetings. It is therefore the responsibility of the Chair to make sure ideologically diverse voices are represented in the meetings, so that every piece of legislation gets a fair shake. Unfortunately, that is not happening right now; the Chair position is being used in a hyper-partisan manner to push an extreme agenda. I am running to bring a moderate, bipartisan agenda to the board, where legislation introduced by Democrats and Republicans will be given equal consideration on agendas and in committees.

What role should the county play in combating the opioid crisis?

The opioid crisis is an extension of the mental health crisis, and we must tackle this head-on. The need for social service agencies and mental health care in our county is far greater than the resources which exist, and the county must work to partner with community organizations to increase access and improve the affordability of services. McHenry County can be a conduit for the various organizations in our county to work together for social economics of scale, allowing for more efficient use of resources and lowering per-person costs while increasing outreach to our community. Community organizations like Live4Lali have the experience and knowledge to play an active role in preventing opioid deaths. Addiction has touched every person in our county one way or another, and we need to work together to alleviate this epidemic.

What role should the county play in increasing affordable housing in the region?

The McHenry County Board recently issued a bipartisan report on housing in our county. It shows that 1 in 4 people in McHenry County are overburdened with housing costs. McHenry County should look into ways it can help invest in more affordable housing for all residents because everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to live. Improving housing affordability will attract more people to the county, helping us build vibrant communities and increase revenue. This, in turn, can help lower property taxes. The county should, provided that it is safe and economically sound, authorize such developments in unincorporated areas.