Voters’ wills thwarted by refusal to levy 708 board taxes
After much research, efforts and hundreds if not thousands of constituent conversations, both the Elgin Township and Dundee Township referenda were placed on the ballot for the spring 2020 election. Three attorneys were consulted in the process prior to the placing of the referenda. The language used was directly extracted from the Community Mental Health Act that deems authority to 708 Boards.
The language reads:
Shall (governmental unit) levy an annual tax of not to exceed .15% for the purpose of providing community mental health facilities and services, including facilities and services for the person with a developmental disability or a substance use disorder?
The Kane County Clerk’s Office had the opportunity to object to the language prior to the ballot being generated. Townships around us have passed 708 Boards and funded them while Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) was enacted utilizing the precise language provided in the Community Mental Health Act.
In March 2020, during the general primary election, Elgin Township residents resoundingly approved (67% yes vote) a 708 Mental Health Board with a resulting tax levy. During the same election, 62% of Dundee Township residents voted yes and approved the same measure and tax levy.
This election was certified by the Kane County Clerk’s Office in April 2020.
We think it is disingenuous to imply that the voters of the Elgin and Dundee townships didn’t understand what they were voting on. The language is quite clear and has been used throughout Kane County and Illinois when eligible entities have created 708 Mental Health Boards.
The 708 Board members were appointed and began working. The tax levy amount was approved by the respective 708 boards and township boards.
Then in April 2021, Kane County Clerk John Cunningham declared the referendum was missing a word and refused to levy the tax.
The Elgin Human Services Council is a group of nonprofit social service providers supporting residents of the city of Elgin, the township of Elgin and the county of Kane. With limited financial resources, we have been unable to meet the current mental health, developmental disability and substance use disorder supportive service needs in Elgin Township.
The funding provided by a 708 Mental Health Board to fill gaps in the service system is essential to the health of Elgin and Dundee townships and their residents.
The undersigned — members and supporters of the Elgin Human Services Council — are greatly disturbed by this action. The will of Elgin and Dundee township voters has been subverted. We ask that the tax levy for both 708 board be immediately approved per the townships’ requests.
Julie A. McClendon, YWCA Elgin
Lore Baker, Association for Individual Development
Bernadette May, Family Service Association of Greater Elgin
Maureen Manning, Community Crisis Center
Bobby Jackson, One Collective Elgin
Doug Johnson, St. Vincent de Paul West Side Elgin
Daphne Sandouka, Ecker Center for Behavioral Health
Sarah Ponitz, PADS of Elgin
Theresa Forthofer, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley
Micki Miller, Senior Services Associates
Steve Baldwin, Summit School
Donna Jackowiak, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northern Illinois
Joann Hartmann, Elgin Cooperative Ministry
Adriana Trino, Latino Treatment Center
Natalie Bonner, Talented Tenth Social Services
Bob Tanner, Greater Elgin Family Care Center
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Patricia Williams, The Literacy Connection
Cindy Anderson, Well Child Center
Jaime D. Garcia, Centro de Informacion
Amber Peters, Elgin Partnership for Early Learning Individuals
Leonard Lempa, LCSW/Elgin Resident
Anna Czerniak, LCSW/Mental Health Professional Serving the Residents of Kane County
Josh Czerniak, Kane County resident
Laurie Huske, Elgin resident
Nancy Coleman, chaplain working in Elgin
Ed Hunter, Elgin resident and member of The Fox River Valley Initiative
Lindsey Haines, Full Circle Communities
Deanna Cada, DeKalb County Mental Health Board
Lorri Grainawi, co-president, Housing Task Force
Ron Melka, Lyons Township Mental Health Commission
Greg Parker, president of NAMI Kane County North
Maralee Parker, vice president of NAMI Kane County North
Joy Klos, NAMI Northwest Suburban
Maryrose Peters, NAMI Barrington Area
Andrew G. Wade, NAMI Illinois
Jodi Dart, Association of Community Mental Health Authorities of Illinois
Marvin Lindsey, Community Behavioral Healthcare Association
Josh Evans, Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
Wendy Covich, The League of Women Voters of the Elgin Area
Jean Pierce, The League of Women Voters of Central Kane County, Elgin Township Democrats, Faith Communities
The Rev. Stacy Walker, St. Charles Episcopal Church
Jacki Bakker, Christ the Lord Lutheran Church
Rick Lathrop, Congregational Church Of Batavia
Heather Feltman, pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Katie Shaw Thompson, Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren
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