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Election results 'a disaster,' Elgin conservatives say

Fiscal conservatives in Elgin took stock Wednesday after their poor showing at the polls.

Voters on Tuesday re-elected city council incumbents Tish Powell, John Steffen and Rose Martinez, along with conservative Toby Shaw, who got the least votes among the four. Mayor David Kaptain easily defeated conservative challenger Joe Galvan.

Also in the running were seven city council challengers who criticized the city's level of taxation and spending.

Chuck Keysor, chairman of the conservative group Elgin OCTAVE, said he was at a loss as to what happened. “Last night was a rout,” he said. “It was a disaster.”

It's possible the group's goal — to establish a majority on the council, which now numbers three conservatives out of nine — was too ambitious, Keysor said.

“But do you throw in the towel because you lose once?” he said. “Before deciding what to do in the longer term I have to talk to people on our board, our supporters, and evaluate.”

Kaptain, Powell, Steffen, and Martinez have touted the city's fiscal strength, including its AAA bond rating and diversification of revenues, which has resulted in less reliance on property taxes.

“I think people want leaders that are smart with their money,” Steffen said. “Not just telling them that they are going to spend less, but that they are going to spend wisely.”

He also pointed out some of the spending the challengers disagreed with, such as funding for the arts and social services, comes not from taxpayers but from the city's portion of Grand Victoria Casino revenues.

Unlike two years ago, when the specter of the so-called “rain tax” — a proposed but defeated special stormwater fee — was a rallying cry for conservatives who had a strong showing at the polls, this year there were no major lightning-rod issues.

That always makes it easier for incumbents — who have built-in name recognition — to prevail, said state Rep. Anna Moeller, a Democrat who served on the city council until a little over a year ago.

Tuesday's election pointed to voters' approval of the direction taken by the majority of the council, Moeller said. During her own campaign last year, Moeller said, she didn't encounter many disgruntled voters in Elgin, regardless of party affiliation.

“Financially, the situation is solid. People are generally happy with the level of services and downtown is slowly being revitalized,” she said. “I think this election kind of re-affirmed that.”

Also, this year's campaigning was more negative than usual, Moeller said. “I think that turned off some people,” she said.

Keysor was part of an effort to file an election complaint against Martinez alleging she violated election law by reporting contributions too late. Martinez provided receipts showing it was a clerical error made by her camp.

Outside groups — like the one headed by former Tea Party U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh — made endorsements in the election, which voters might not have liked either, Moeller said.

Elgin OCTAVE mailed and distributed 7,500 postcards backing conservative candidates, Keysor said. However, some of the other candidates had support from unions, he said.

Tuesday's voter turnout in Elgin was an average 11.4 percent between Cook and Kane counties, compared to 9.1 percent two years ago. However, turnout in the 2011 election — the last time the mayor's office was on the ballot — was an average 13.4 percent.

It's still unclear what exactly happened — such as whether more liberals or conservatives showed up at the polls — but it's hard to deny that voters made clear choices, Shaw said.

“My take-away is 'Ouch,'” Shaw said. “I was really thinking that folks were more concerned about taxing and spending.”

Still, Shaw said, there are residents who want “someone to be safeguarding their pocketbook ... That's my role on the council. Even though I'm not in the majority, that's the lens I will always be looking through.”

While voters may be content now, they won't like it if future budget challenges — including possible revenue cuts stemming from Gov. Bruce Rauner's initiatives — end up digging deeper into their pockets, said unsuccessful candidate Jason Dusenberry, who also campaigned on an anti-spending theme.

“If you don't have a certain council make-up, you may very possibly see some tax increase in the future,” he said. “That was the warning shot I was trying to give out.”

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