Kane Co. treasurer candidates differ on approach

The Republican candidates for Kane County treasurer are the only candidates vying for the seat, so February's primary will decide the race.

Voters have the choice of two candidates with similar philosophies, but different approaches to the office.

Incumbent David Rickert has the obstacle of having run an office is less than optimum times in the past year. A tight budget and short staffing forced Rickert to close the disbursement side of the office, delaying payments, for a time in June and September to collect property taxes on a timely basis. Rickert anticipates having to do that again in 2010.

It's a move that hasn't helped Rickert's popularity with some of his local elected officials. But that's not unfamiliar territory for him. Rickert openly acknowledges he doesn't get along with Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay "as well as I'd like." That tension manifested in Rickert's open criticism of the budget for McConnaughay's office and disagreement with the county board's decision to give $1 million to the forest preserve district to buy the Fox Valley Ice Arena.

Rickert's opponent, meanwhile, is emphatic that the treasurer's office is not a lifetime career path for him. In his view, that makes him the loud voice the county needs to get its financial policies in order.

"I wish the treasurer had an actual vote on the board," Kovanic said. "If need be, you need to go to the ear of the people and make it known that the board is doing something incorrectly. I'm not running for this position to make nice; it's to do the best job for the people."

Kovanic said that means highlighting any financial issues he has a problem with to the median and any other venue for reaching the public. He said he's not afraid of the political consequences because being re-elected is of no concern to him.

Rickert said even though he's pointed out some concerns in the past, there comes a point when the treasurer must recognize the real duties of the office and the need to work together.

"One of the duties of the treasurer is to give financial advice to the county board," Rickert said. "You have to realize they might not always agree with it. The issue is how can we work together to solve the problems."

Rickert said the treasurer, auditor and finance director must do a better job as a team to help board members understand the true financial situation the county is in at all times. Rickert said he'd like the emphasis of that partnership to be on prioritizing legally mandated expenses verses all other costs.

"There's a fine line between providing my advice and interjecting my opinion into the board's proceedings," Rickert said. "It's really not my role as treasurer to do that."