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Kane County Board District 3 member Anita Lewis answered Shaw Local’s election questionnaire for the Kane County Board primary election.
Voting ends for the primary election on the evening of June 28.
Full Name: Anita Lewis
What office are you seeking? Kane County Board District 3
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Kane County Board Incumbent
School Board Member, East Aurora District 131
City: Aurora
Occupation: Semi-retired
Education: Bachelors in Supply Chain Management/Procurement from DePaul University
Campaign Website: Facebook- Anita Lewis for Kane County Board
Do you support decreasing local property taxes? If so, how would the county make up the difference?
I do not believe we could affort to decrease our property taxes and still maintain the level of services required by the community. Of our property tax bill only 4% goes to the County .
What local road and bridge projects should be a priority to get done in the county?
If you go to the Kane County Dept of Transportation Webpage (KDOT) you will see the list of ongoing projects that are in the works. Obviously completeing the work on these project is priority. They include Randall Road, Rte 31, Kirk Road, Longmeadow Parkway and Fabyan Parkway.
There is a 5 year plan and a longer term 2050 plan by which KDOT works taking into account immediate needs of our roads and bridges and also looking at the protential growth rate and wear and tear on our system.
Another part of the KDOT plan what I think is important is the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
Do you think there is a local crime problem? If so, what needs to be done about it?
Yes, there is a local crime problem. The solution is not an easy one as it takes many groups working together, for example: The schools working to keep the students in school, graduating and on career or college paths, the County and municipalities attracting and maintaining good jobs and a strong public transportation system.
Also, access to mental health treatment, addiction recovery and poverty related issues need to be addresses
In addition, all of our community 501c3 partners and religious organizations that provide counseling, food pantries, after school programs and a host of other things must stay engaged and be supported.
How will you work to keep crime low in Kane County?
On the judicial side I support the Pre-trial Diversion program, Drug Court, and Mental Health court as a way of dealing with and lowering recidivism rates.
I support our County Sherriff’s department and the many programs that have been instituted including job training and the Unit dedicated to Addiction Recovery. I have witnessed first hand how the officers on patrol and in the detention center treat people and work with them to not commit crimes, not go to jail and once released not to return.
Supporting the schools and our community partners as I mentioned, are also one of my priorities.
Do you support Kane County’s pre- arrest diversion program?
Editor’s note: This question has been updated from a previous version to correct that the Kane County State’s Attorney’s office created the program and the Kane County Sheriff’s office participates in it.
Absolutely Yes. The program started with the Elgin Police and has expanded to the Kane County Sheriff’s department. After receiving a $1.2 million grant the plan it to include more municipalities in the program.
When a person is stopped by police for a low level crime, the officers can make an arrest or put the person into contact with a case worker who can help deal with the root causes, often times addiction, mental health and poverty. This program gives the person a chance at not having a criminal record, continuing to work, or to to school and getting needed help to correct their lives instead of jail. In addition to helping the individual it also saves the county tax money as it frees up needed court and jail moneys to deal with dangerous crimes.
Do you support stronger county government ethics laws? What measures do you support?
As a county elected official we are required to file a Statement of Economic Interests. This makes public any potential conflicts of interest and provides transparency. We are also required to take annual Ethics training so we are aware of any potential conflicts. Lastly reporting on and limiting campaign contributions is crucial.
What would you push for as a member of county government to boost local businesses?
I am on the Jobs Committee and we constantly talk about how to attract and retain jobs within the county. Providing job readiness skills, on skills such as computers, fork lift training but and also soft skills such as punctuality and how to work with others.
The County also can help by promoting tourism and highlighting the great businesses we have.
Also when business Zoning petitions come up we need to insure they get processes as quickly and with as few restrictions as needed to encourage small businesses to open in Kane.
Why do you think the county has had some positions open for a while and a number of employees have left the county in recent times. Why do you think county employees are leaving?
The board recently authorized a study on the working conditions, wages and benefits of our employees. It has long been felt, and now confirmed, that Kane County pays less than the surrounding counties and also less that the private sector equivalent jobs. This causes employees to work at Kane County for experience, as a steppingstone to higher jobs elsewhere.
How can the county seek to retain employees?
Wages and benefits are, of course, one key component. While we can’t afford to raise wages across the board, we need to look at certain jobs such as in the Public Defenders office where they are paid 20% less than their counterparts in the States Attorney office for doing the same activities.
Additionally, we need to make sure that we can provide the strongest Medical Insurance plans with the networks that serve the majority of our employees. This is one of the key retention factors.
There are also some fringe benefits that we can provide such as Employee Recognitions, clearly laid out paths to move upward within the county, and job training for current and potential jobs to name a few.
Do you support adding either a 0.25% or 0.50% retail tax to non-essential purchases (excluding groceries and gas)? Why or why not?
I hate the work TAX, dread looking at my tax bill and at all the taxes added to goods and services. However, to meet the State Mandated services of the county and to provide for the best services possible I feel we need this tax.
Unlike property taxes that affect everyone, (of which only 4% of our tax bill goes to the county), this tax would only affect the sale of Nonessential purchases. We would not be taxed on our gas or groceries and anyone buying goods in Kane would also pay this tax.
If there were an increase in retail tax revenue, what would you use the additional funds for?
If the voters pass a referendum to add this retail tax I would support it going to the Judicial and Public Safety area. There are many programs that are Government mandated and we must fund those. In addition mental health, addiction, pre-diversion, and police funding is always needed. As a county we are trying to provide the best services and support to our community and this area covers the most immediately needed funding and the best long-term solutions to some of our most pressing issues.
Do you support a county gas tax hike? Why or why not?
No, I do not support a county gas tax hike. As we have seen the gas prices in our state rise to over $4.50 a gallon and still increasing. This is making it increasingly hard for families to maintain a budget and for our supply chain trucking partners to continue to operate. Increasing the gas tax at this time would just put even more strain on an already strained local economy.
If there were an increase in the county gas tax revenue, how would you propose using the new money?
I do not support a gas tax increase.
Do you support more warehouse and industrial development in Kane County? Why/why not?
Kane County has become a center for many of the large warehousing companies due to our location along the I-88, and I-90 corridor. Randall and Kirk roads have become congested with trucks from these warehouses causing increased truck traffic on our road system. While warehousing provides job it is at a cost. I feel we need to start attracting jobs other than warehouses. I do support more industrial factory jobs as they generally require skilled labor that pays well and has better benefits. I also support tech jobs and small enterprise as they provide good jobs and benefits.
How can municipalities best deal with the increase in semi-truck traffic?
The increase in truck traffic is here to stay which is great for the economy and vital to the supply chain. I think we need to encourage the community to carpool, use public transportation such as the Metra and even bicycle to alleviate the congestion as much as possible. The municipalities and the County, along with the State need to have long term plans in to keep the roads repaired and add additions as indicated by long range growth studies
Should county & municipal officials be required to disclose to the public the identity of a business, such as Amazon, that seeks to locate in the county?
Yes, I think the public deserves to know what businesses are coming into the community.
What are your thoughts on the Illinois Freedom of Information Act?
I support the Freedom of Information Act because we as citizens and taxpayers have the right to transparency from our public agencies. Where I feel it is an issue is when it violates ones personal privacy.
Please state your plan to maintain government transparency.
I will continue to provide my Statement of Economic Interest in a timely manner, do my Ethics Training and try to be as transparent as possible within my realm of responsibility. Insuring that I comply to the Open Meeting Acts is important.
Should government employees and officials be allowed to sign nondisclosure agreements with private businesses?
No, because as a government employee or official, transparency and disclosure is critical.
Would you push for or against government officials and employees being allowed to sign non-disclosure agreements with private businesses?
Against. As a government body we owe it to our community to have transparency. Also as an elected official it is imperative we know all the facts as we vote on issues related to businesses moving into our community and what the terms of their moving in are. We have to know if there are concessions in taxes, monetary benefits, and potential risks to our soil before we vote on Zoning and before Public Hearings.
How can the county best support municipalities that are seeking to promote restaurants, nightlife, tourism (St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia)?
( don’t forget Aurora, Montgomery and our northern neighbors, too) Kane county helps support tourism by highlighting the Fox river, our nature areas and our restaurants and should continue to promote tourism for economic reasons. The county, during the Pandemic worked the municipalities and towns to provide the funds from ARPA to help keep our small businesses open.
How long should the county support the Kane Vax Center in Batavia?
As we have watched the numbers going to our Vax Center decline, the Health department is working with other agencies across the county to make sure vaccinations and boosters are readily available. I feel we are at that point and should close the Vax Center.
The County Board used more of the revenue it received from the American Rescue Plan to fund mental health services than it gave to social safety net services such as homeless shelters and food pantries. How can the county make funding for nonprofits impacted by the pandemic more equitable?
Study after study have revealed the need for better mental health services caused by the isolation of the pandemic. Addiction, Suicides, domestic violence and overdoses all increased during these two years. A community survey done by the Health Department listed Mental Health as the number one concern so we had to react with more funding. Mental health is also one of the root causes of the homeless and poverty conditions so we are must help with the mental health. The shelters and the food pantries did receive funding on the second wave of the funding.
Do you support giving a larger chunk of the $103 million in funding the county received to social services?
Yes, while we must keep part of the money set aside for pandemic related County costs, it is my vote to release another round to our community partners.
Do you agree with the county paying the college tuition of a public employee? Please explain.
I believe in tuition reimbursement as a job benefit. Most companies allow employees to better their education through a Tuition reimbursement Policy. The reimbursement is a percent of their classes as long as it is related to their direct job or a job that they couldpromote into within organization, or in this case the county. The program is run through Human Resources and monies are reimbursed based on the completion of a passing grade in the course.