High-Profile Team Leads 'Show You Care Kane' Referendum Effort

"Show You Care Kane," the group hoping to pass a proposal on the March 2014 ballot to help persons with developmental disabilities, has assembled a leadership team full of well-known civic leaders from throughout Kane County.

“Right now there are more than 1,000 Kane County residents on waiting lists to receive basic human services,” said Leadership Team member and Kane County Board member John Hoscheit.

“These are our friends and neighbors — people with developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome and autism. For them to have any hope of developing independent living skills, they need help with job training, housing, transportation and respite care.”

In Illinois, providing care for persons with developmental disabilities is a local 
responsibility. Illinois ranks 48th of 50 states in providing community help at the state level. State law allows for counties to create a Developmental Disability Board and collect a 10-cent property tax to support services.

Marilyn Weisner, another team member and executive director of the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, says passing the referendum "is simply the right thing to do."

“For about a dollar a week for the average homeowner in Kane County, 
we can provide these needed services and provide a life of dignity and purpose for people unable to help themselves, ” she said. “We all have family members or friends who will benefit from passing this proposal.” 

Show You Care Kane has worked to collect signatures to place a proposal on the March 2014 ballot. While sufficient signatures have now been collected, efforts are under way to obtain even more.

“Our volunteers have told us that almost everyone is enthusiastic about signing our petition,” said Fred Norris, Sr., Team member and former mayor of St. Charles. “I’ve been around politics for a long time and know that people often disagree on important issues. But there is little disagreement about taking local responsibility for helping persons with developmental disabilities. It seems like everyone wants to help.” 

Another member of the Community Leadership Team is David Reece, owner of Northern Illinois Builders, Inc.

“I joined this team because I know the need for services is growing, while at 
the same time state and federal funding is declining. People with developmental disabilities are a vulnerable and silent population for which we must all take responsibility at the local level,” Reece said. “So much can be done for so little cost to the average taxpayer. This is something we can do and should do as a community. This will also bring jobs to Kane County as agencies will be able to acquire and rehab housing and hire therapists to work with these 
individuals”."

Joining Hoscheit, Weisner, Norris and Reece on the Community Leadership Team is Michael Donahue, owner of Midwest Wind Energy and Kane County Board 
member; Drew Frasz, president and owner of A. E. Frasz, Inc. and Kane County Board member; John Knewitz, retired assistant superintendent, CUSD 303; Jennifer Laesch, Kane County Board commissioner; Corinne Pierog, principal and owner of Sustainable Leadership Solutions; and Richard Poulton, retired director, AT&T and vice president of Engel Consulting.