Keep right to elect Kane County coroner

Did you read the story in the Daily Herald about the Kane County Board offering the public a choice on the ballot regarding the coroner's office? It suggested that we will be given a choice to have the board hire the coroner.

If you think about it a minute you might come to the conclusion that I reached. What the county board really wants to do is to take away my choice. Imagine our current board hiring the coroner. That scares me. It's not something I want.

The article indicated that past studies have suggested that approach would be more costly than what we currently do. Past Herald articles have indicated that this board doesn't understand the budget or what the budget even covers. They admitted in an article last week they had neglected to include money for new hires in the county clerk's office.

New judges and new court rooms require more support staff. They want to cut health coverage for the less fortunate. I realize there are less state funds, but if they can't cover the basics where would they get the additional funds for this? Maybe they just don't care.

The past articles not only indicate a lack of budget knowledge, but a lack of general information. Board members had to seek out information from departments on their own. The implication is that there is no transparency between board members or the public. Attend one of their meetings and you will see a staged production planned to their own agenda.

We already know what's next. There will be budget cuts. Because this affects votes this probably won't happen until after the general election. At that point we will most likely see a repeat of last year's miserable performance.

None of us condones the act reported by the current coroner. But his guilt or innocence will be determined by others. However that turns out, I for one don't want to relinquish my right to vote to the county board.

Thomas L. Martin

Geneva