Politics & Government
Learn More About the Developmental Disabilities Referendum at Batavia Forum
The LOWV forum will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Batavia Public Library.
The Central Kane County League of Women Voters is hosting a public forum regarding the proposal to establish a Developmental Disabilities Services
Board for Kane County.
The proposal is called "Show You Care, Kane" and the forum will be a good chance to learn more about a proposed March referendum, which will ask for a small tax increase to support care for people with developmental disabilities in Kane County.
There are currently 1,100 people in Kane County on a waiting list for these services, and the average wait time is greater than 10 years. Of those 1,100, 85 are Geneva residents.
Geneva and other neighboring communities already have a Mental Health Board, which uses tax monies to help fund agencies that deal with mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities. However, there is no Kane County version, and the fund for this effort would be separate from the 708 boards in cities and townships.
The LOWV forum will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Batavia Public Library.
Geneva resident Chuck Miles is one of the volunteers working to support this funding method to help developmentally disabled people in Geneva and in Kane County as a whole.
“I can’t remember an election where YOU have such an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of so many individuals and families in Kane County," Miles said.
