Name: Jon F. Hahn
Position for which you are a candidate: Kane County Board District 17
Why are you seeking this position?
I seek the position of County Board Member because it is the duty of every citizen to contribute what they can to the betterment of the community. When I became aware to the fact the county board seat in this district was not being contested, I decided to step up and put myself forward for the position. The people of this district deserve a choice on the ballot and I felt duty-bound to give them that opportunity.
My most immediate concern as a citizen and homeowner is taxation. Taxation is a necessary evil. It pays for those things the community holds in common, but for which no one individual is responsible – taxation should be held to a minimum.
As a county board member, we should ask tough questions: What need is there for a Kane County gasoline tax? Why did a Democratic Party member of the Kane County Board think it a good thing to increase property taxes in our county by 15% over three years? Where would these funds go?
Instead, I would argue strongly to keep taxes fixed. Moreover, I believe cash assets that the County controls can be invested more productively than they have been to this point. Investment security can be realized with returns beyond the present plan. And I believe that property assets that the County controls should be evaluated, with a view to divesting from those not conforming to the future needs of the county.
This is why I seek the position of County Board Member.
What experience and background do you have which qualifies you for this position?
First: I am a US citizen. I am over 21 years of age. I was educated in an age when civics courses were a required part of the curriculum in high school and I passed the course. I have voted in every federal election since I was 18 years of age. The above list is not presented flippantly or with any sense of irony. This list of qualifications spans the greater part of the American people. Anybody with these qualifications is suitable to run for office. It’s one’s dedication to common sense and fair play that makes a suitable office holder. Thus education, no matter the level, is merely frosting on the cake. The real question for the candidate is: What is your character? If a candidate devoted to honesty and fair play, they’re not qualified for office in a true representative republic/democracy.
Secondly, although I am an amateur when it comes to politics, I have nearly 40 years of experience in costing, budgeting, scheduling as well as assessing technical requirements and capabilities of contractors, as a professional applied scientist and engineer. I have personally managed projects involving multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars to the satisfaction of the customer. These skills are largely transferable to county business where maintenance and upkeep of roads, properties and offices are concerned.
By political “amateur” I do not mean amateurish. “Amateur” is derived from the French word for “love.” I am undertaking this race for love of the community.
What will be your highest priorities if elected?
If elected my highest priority will be to keep the taxes and expenditures as low as feasible, without loss of service to the people of Kane County. Nothing more, nothing less.
Campaign Policy
Elections and voting are core concerns for the League of Women Voters. Year in and year out, Leagues are committed to providing fact-based information about issues and the positions candidates take on those issues to help voters make their own decisions and participate in the process.
The League of Women Voters never supports or opposes candidates for office or political parties. Any use of the League of Women Voters name in campaign advertising or literature has not been authorized by the League.