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Lauzen announces "Kane County Taxpayer Revitalization Plan"

Created: Saturday, February 4, 2012 3:39 p.m. CDT

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Illinois Senator Chris Lauzen, who is a candidate for Kane County Board Chairman, announced at a rally of more than 300 grassroots supporters of government reform his "Kane County Taxpayer Revitalization Plan."

Five Areas of Improvement for Kane County Government

1. Property Tax Levy Freeze. With home values falling, property taxes continue

to rise. "Personal income taxes have gone up 67%, income taxes on employers

have increased 46%, tolls have nearly doubled, the costs to commute have been

jacked up more than 25%, utility rates are increasing . . . at the very least, let's

freeze the Kane County portions of our property taxes on our current residents!,"

Lauzen said.

2. Mortgage Help. Through information and connecting to programs that already exist

(HARP 2.0) for those who have stayed current on their mortgages and whose

mortgages are already guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, we can help

Kane County homeowners stay in their homes by lowering their interest rates and

saving hundreds of dollars per month. Lauzen said, "This wonít cost Kane County

taxpayers any money, but it will improve their family budgets. Empty homes donít

pay taxes, they destroy neighborhoods and families."

(See LauzenKaneCountyMortgageRelief.com)

3. More Jobs Paying Higher Wages. "By helping to coordinate the efforts of the

existing network of Chambers of Commerce and restructuring how county

government serves the employer community," Lauzen continued, "... we will take at

least the following five steps:

(a) Streamline the permit process setting predictable prompt standards for

response.

(b) Coordinate a framework of incentives countywide, to minimize tensions of

regional "bidding wars."

roundtable discussions and employer forums.

(d) Coordinate planning for infrastructure among federal, state, local agencies

and developers who are willing to invest their capital . . . make sure that

our projects are "shovel-ready."

(e) Establish a Kane County Cooperative Clearinghouse website and portal to

exchange and exploit innovative ideas, equipment and services,

especially in areas of access to capital, e.g. SBA 504 Loan Guarantees

and the New Market Tax Incentive Program (which I helped pass into

Illinois law) to lower the down payment, decrease interest rates, and

extend repayment terms for commercial buildings.

And, we'll have some fun learning from successful businesses, both large and

small, as we recognize their progress and increase smart, hard-working Kane

County commercial confidence."

4. Drain the Swamp of Political Cronyism. "One million five hundred thousand

dollars ($1,5000,000 . . . five times what it costs good candidates in this area to run

and win an Illinois State Senate seat) of campaign contributions into the political fund

of a local government administrative office is an obvious abuse of political

competitiveness and clout. A 75% correlation between campaign cash amounts and

contracts, employment and other political favor is a problem with the status quo just

begging for reform," asserted Lauzen. Former U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald and

State of Illinois reform leader Adam Andrzejewski have endorsed Lauzenís plan for

48-hour disclosure of contributions from contractors, a ìsearchableî database like

DuPage County has offered Kane County at no-charge, voluntary refusal of

contributions from no-bid contractors, and the expansion of an unpaid ethics

advisory panel from the current one member to three members, making sure that

both the majority and minority parties are represented on the commission.

5. Zero-based "Reality" Budgeting to Streamline County Government Spending.

Lauzen said, "We will simply deliver honest competent administration of county

business through innovation and austerity. We will survey best practices from

anywhere in the world, prioritize and implement these innovations for the benefit of

Kane County taxpayers and citizens."

As the only candidate for Republican nomination for Kane County Board Chairman who personally knows what it feels like to start, grow, manage and successfully sell a million-dollar small business, Lauzen is aligned with employersí needs. And, as a tax specialist who has completed thousands of income, sales, and payroll tax returns for hundreds of families, he is sensitive to the burdens on taxpayers.

For answers to any questions, please call 630-264-2419 or email campaign@lauzen.com

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