Elections have consequences. Your property taxes are the result of local elections. This is where your property taxes went this past year (rounded):

School District 67%
City 8%
Park District 6%
Waubonsee 6%
Library 5%
Kane County 4%
Forest Preserve 2%
Township 1%
Township Road .5%

School Board

The School Board intends to keep raising your taxes the maximum amount allowed by law every year: by the Consumer Price Index (inflation) or 5%, whichever is less. Even as enrollment is declining, the School Board plans to increase your taxes. You can read the enrollment projections at https://www.bps101.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/FY22-Enrollment-Projection.pdf  and financial projections at https://www.bps101.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2022-Financial-Forecast.pdf. Quality education does not require raising taxes every year.

Right now, there are 4 candidates for 4 School Board seats, including 2 incumbents (Meadows and Locke). Candidate list at https://kaneapplications.countyofkane.org/ElectionWebsite/en-us/Candidates/List/21/NP). These 4 seats represent a majority that will hold over the next 4 years. If you want to make a change, now is the time. Run for election.

The School Board meets typically once a month, on a Tuesday night, with occasional special meetings as need be. 50 signatures are required for candidates. Candidate packet can be found here: https://www.kanecountyclerk.org/Elections/Documents/School%20Board%20Members%202021.pdf

Filing deadline is 5:00pm Monday (12/21) at the Kane County Clerk’s office in Geneva.

City Council

Are you happy with the City Council? Are you being informed what is going on by your elected representatives? Do you like the direction the City is going? While past actions may be fixed, future decisions are not. There are 7 Wards in Batavia, 2 aldermen per ward, half (+ 1 half term) up for election in 2021. Find your ward here: https://www.cityofbatavia.net/233/City-Council-Committee-of-the-Whole. 

These were the candidates I heard had filed last week (* denotes incumbent):

*Jennifer Baerren—Ward 1 (4-year)
Christopher Solfa—Ward 1 (2-year)
Leah Leman—Ward 2
*Tony Malay—Ward 4
*Mark Uher—Ward 5
Sarah Vogelsinger—Ward 7 

City Council members meet 1st & 3rd Mondays, for which they get paid $200/meeting. They also meet every Tuesday for the Committee of the Whole. Candidate signature requirements in all but Ward 5 are 20 or less (Ward 5 is 28). Candidate packet with more info can be found at https://www.cityofbatavia.net/DocumentCenter/View/4785/2021-Candidate-Packet?bidId=

Filing deadline is 5:00pm Monday (12/21) at Batavia City Hall.

Other

Other branches of government up for election in April:
Park
Waubonsee
Library
Township/Township Road