Name: Jennifer Abbatacola
What office are you seeking: County Board District 9 located in the upper Northwest corner of the county.
What is your current age? 59
Occupation and employer: Self-employed. Marketing/Advertising Interim County Board Member honored to serve District 9.
What offices, if any, have you previously held? I am a political outsider but worked in marketplace and non profit world for 35 years.I was appointed to the Hampshire Township Board in January 2026 for one month until I needed to resign abiding by IL statute. and serve as a commissioner on the Hampshire Business Development Commission (since June 2025).
City: Hampshire
Campaign website: ThePeopleForJenniferAbbatacola.com
Education: Undergraduate in Journalism from Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. 1989.
Community involvement: I serve on the Hampshire Business Development Commission and support several local nonprofits. I am a member of four local Chambers of Commerce and support their good work. I served thousands of people in Kane County and Chicagoland for more than 15 years. I continue to help individuals in my community.
Marital status/Immediate family: I respectfully decline to answer personal questions about my family and marital status.
What are your top three priorities for this district?
My priorities are: working collaboratively with board members, municipalities and township to move forward initiatives that align with the best interests of Western Kane, to keep our communities safe, and to carefully steward taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars while supporting responsible economic growth that serves and protects the character of Western Kane.
Should the County Board regulate short-term rentals? If so, what regulations would you want to see?
No. Local municipalities are best positioned to set reasonable, tailored rules around issues like noise, parking, safety and property upkeep. I encourage careful and detailed local regulation that protects neighborhood character while allowing communities to benefit economically from short-term rentals. However, there is large amount of unincorporated land in Kane County and that needs to be addressed by County jurisdiction. I support private property rights and also residents’ right to safe neighborhoods that reflect every communities’ character.
How would you like to see the former Fabyan Parkway jail site redeveloped? Should all or part of the property be sold?
I am not opposed to selling the site. However, if budget efficiencies and disciplined spending are not implemented, the revenue will be gone nearly immediately. I want to make a well-informed decision based on facts, business community input, and long-term value for taxpayers while respecting homeowners. If a feasibility study supported a “Makers”/Manufacturing/OEM type of model that would benefit our other existing manufacturing base, this would be my first choice. I don’t see how a solar farm would contribute to profitable GDP for Kane County long term. The county’s GDP grew from nearly $21B in 2010 to $37B in 2024. If we could partner with the business community and help them grow an additional 3-5% per year, reserves can be replenished as long as spending is managed. Exploring the jail site as an improved asset using Kane County businesses to provide those improvements, to benefit our county’s manufacturing base, would be worth the county board’s effort.
Last year, the board was divided on a “We Stand Against Hate Week” proclamation. What is your view on it?
I oppose hate and discrimination in all forms and at every level. However, I would not support the proclamation as presented because I don’t believe engaging symbolic organizations, who fund themselves through taxpayer grants, originating from the west coast, created by extreme activists, are the best use of the County Board’s role. Our focus should remain on public safety, fiscal responsibility, and delivering measurable results for residents and business owners. All our rights are comprehensively protected under both the US Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Illinois State Constitution.
The Kane County Board has limited federal immigration enforcement on county property. Do you support that move? Do you support the Illinois TRUST Act more broadly and what, if any, reforms to it would you like to see?
I do not support limiting lawful federal immigration enforcement on county property, and I do not support the Illinois TRUST Act as currently written. I believe government agencies should be mandated by the Governor to cooperate with federal law enforcement, particularly when dealing with individuals convicted of violent crimes including but not limited to pedophiles and human traffickers. Government officials on every level should be running to the front of the line to help remove pedophiles, human traffickers and violent criminals from our communities. I gave 15 years of my life to protect children from pedophiles and will consider an honor to give the next 15 years to do the same. I would like to see language added to the TRUST Act that provides local law enforcement extra time to hold illegal aliens allowing federal authorities to take custody of violent criminals. By not working together with our federal government, refusing to find common ground, chaos and fear has been tragically created mostly in under-resourced communities. Regardless of political party, I expect our local government to support removing pedophiles, human traffickers and violent criminals. Every elected official from the smallest municipality to the County Board to Springfield should be proud to do this.
The county board is expected to have another tight budget season this year. Looking ahead, if you must decide between raising the property tax levy or cutting programs, what would your choice be? What specific areas of spending would you prioritize cutting? How much further are you willing to dip into reserve funds to avoid program cuts? Do you support the diversion of RTA revenue from transportation to public safety?
I would prioritize holding the line on spending and avoiding tax increases. If cuts are necessary, I would pause or slow non-essential or experimental programs rather than core services. I would protect services that directly impact farmers, the business community, and essential county functions. I do not support diverting RTA funds to other purposes; dedicated funds should be used as intended. While people are fleeing Illinois due to the oppressive tax burden, Kane County is growing by 3500-4000 people a year and Western Kane is one of the fastest growing regions in the state. RTA is a key part of Kane County’s 2040 Land Use Plan and therefore the infrastructure needs to supported as the county grows.
Along those lines, are you willing to consider other new revenue sources like asking voters again to approve a countywide safes tax increase or increasing the motor fuel tax?
No.
One financial stressor is the end of COVID-19 relief dollars. What should the county do with programs funded by federal COVID-19 dollars?
Programs created with one-time COVID relief funds should sunset as those dollars end. These were never intended to become permanent. I support a review of how funds were used, including audits of all spending, and a wind-down of programs tied to emergency funding.
What is your stance on solar energy facilities or data centers on agricultural land? Does the risk of lawsuits factor into your stance? What about battery storage?
I support private property rights and innovation, but large-scale solar, data centers, and battery storage on agricultural land raise serious questions about long-term impacts on water, soil, roads, nearby landowners, and rural character. Equally important is the impact it has on the County’s GDP. I believe there is an important distinction between a farmer adding a limited solar garden on their own land and large corporate projects with no long-term ties to the community. Any approvals should include strong protections, clear decommissioning plans paid for through third party bonds, financial guarantees for cleanup, and accountability if projects fail or ownership changes. I challenge anyone to find a CEO of a solar manufacturer or an elected official or activist who has installed solar gardens or farms on their property where they reside. I cannot find a single one.
Regarding lawsuits, legal ramifications should always be factored and is part of comprehensive and responsible decision making.
Battery storage is nuanced per sector. For example, EV battery storage requires a very specific type of warehousing including 24-hour monitoring, temperature control, ceiling height and sprinkle systems. If you are referring to solar, most solar goes directly to the grid. If stored, it can be used to power 2-24 residential hours depending on use and storage unit. Solar storage units range from $1,700-$12,000.