Nicolas G. “Nico” Jimenez: 2026 candidate for Kane County Board District 13

Bio

Office sought: Kane County Board District 13

Party: Democrat

City: Geneva

Age: 35

Previous offices held: Precinct Committeeman

Q&A

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I am passionate about fostering a government organized by working people to help make our communities a great place to live, work, and play. As a Kane County Native, I am running a local, grassroots campaign focused on the needs of working people. Having knocked on thousands of doors in my community, I have truly enjoyed talking to people in their homes and on their doorsteps about my journey to serve them and understanding what their biggest concerns are for the county. The first thing I will prioritize is Housing Affordability, because I want to keep people in Kane County, particularly our seniors who helped build this community and help give young people a chance to live, work, play, and raise a family in Kane County. Additionally, I will also ensure the board operates with Fiscal Responsibility, so we can expand services and balance the budget without putting the bill on the backs of working people. As an environmentalist and a father, Protecting our Environment is another one of my priories. I am going to ensure we implement and expand our Climate Action Plan, and transition to 100% clean, green renewable energy sources for a sustainable tomorrow.

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?

I bring experience, integrity, business acumen, and the courage it will take to make tough, principled decisions that put our people and our communities first. Housing Affordability: I want to keep people in Kane County and I believe we need to build more housing that working families can afford by investing in community land trusts to keep housing affordable for generations. Fiscal Responsibility: I am not a proponent of regressive forms of taxation because it disproportionately impacts working people and rather than slashing services or raising taxes, I first want to examine cost savings through efficiency, pursue state and federal grants, and partner with local municipalities to find new, creative ways to reduce spending and expand services. Protecting our Environment: I will protect clean water, preserve important natural areas and farmland, support responsible renewable energy, and make thoughtful decisions about where and how we develop. I am a proponent of instituting a moratorium on Data Centers to protect our people and our people and our environment.

What initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?

As previously mentioned, I first want to examine cost savings through efficiency, pursue state and federal grants, and partner with local municipalities to find new, creative ways to reduce spending and expand services. I also see the opportunity for the board to connect with our partners in Springfield to help the county bring in progressive forms of revenue ensuring those with greater means pay a proportionate amount to the community, like increasing the fees on sales and transfers of luxury goods to the county. This allows us to be good stewards of people's money and work to provide better services the county relies on. I want to ensure there are mechanisms built into the budgeting and financial processes that enhances transparency so taxpayers know exactly how the money will be used and what are the measurable outcomes for working people in Kane County.

Is there a specific service or amenity that is lacking in the county? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund it?

I believe affordable housing is one of the most important unmet needs in Kane County, which the county has already identified as a priority. I aim to turn that priority into measurable action by focusing on building and preserving housing that people can actually afford. The Affordable Housing Fund can provide gap financing for affordable rental and home-ownership projects and I will work to leverage those County dollars with federal, state, municipal, and nonprofit investment so that every public dollar produces the greatest possible benefit to the people of Kane County. We can use this existing infrastructure to partner with local non-profits to establish a community land trust to keep properties affordable by building affordability into the structure. Most importantly, I would establish measurable goals such as how many affordable units are created or preserved, what rents or purchase prices are achieved, and how many households are served. This increases awareness, transparency, and trust that the Board is working to make people’s lives better.

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

I believe in delivering results for the working people in Kane County, and I am ready and willing to work with anyone on the board who shares that vision of service whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents. I do not believe in bipartisanship for the sake of bipartisanship, however, and will not compromise my values or my integrity. I know not everyone is going to agree with me all the time, which is part of having a robust democracy, so as I forge working relationships with all of my fellow board members, I will work to find common ground and pursue shared goals we can deliver together. Service to the community will be the greatest measure of success and I look forward to delivering on the priorities that benefit working families in Kane County.

What is your stance on county board members' pay? Is it too high, too low, or just right? Would you propose any changes?

County Board members should be compensated fairly based on the work and responsibilities of the position, while ensuring public service is accessible to ordinary working people and not just those who are independently wealthy, retired, self-employed, or have employers who can accommodate the demands of the position. If the board feels there should be changes to the compensation of the members, those changes should be transparent, based on actual responsibilities, workload of the position, and finally determined through an independent process.

What is the most important issue facing the county in your district and how should it be addressed?

I believe the most important issues facing District 13 is Housing Affordability and ensuring working people can continue to afford to live in the communities they call home. Geneva and St. Charles are wonderful places to live, work, and raise a family but rising costs make it difficult for seniors, young people, and working families to stay in the communities they helped build. As mentioned, we should support a wider range of homes, including affordable apartments, townhouses, and smaller starter homes for young people, and the way we accomplish that is by investing in community land trusts so we can keep housing affordable for generations. Additionally, I believe it is imperative that we put an immediate moratorium on Data Centers in the county to protect our communities from water pollution, noise pollution, and strain on the electrical grid as well as establishing a moratorium on Flock Cameras and build an actionable process to begin removing any Flock Cameras with the partnership of local municipalities. These are issues that people talk about as I knock on doors in the community and I will work to ensure their voices are heard on the Kane County Board.