Kendall County Times

Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) said a Democrat-sponsored bill that passed both chambers of the General Assembly before being vetoed by the governor was nothing more than a power grab.

SB 2830, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-Aurora), would have amended the Election Code and mandated that Fox Metro Water Reclamation District trustees be chosen in consolidated elections rather than be appointed, which, according to the bill's backer, would have been better for supervising the $9.5 million budget.

“In the essence of no taxation without representation, we are giving the voters of this district proper representation to an entity that can levy property taxes,” Kifowit said during a House floor debate on May 30. 

However, Wheeler saw it much differently, beginning a short but heated debate by asking the sponsor how the board members are appointed now.

“The board is politically appointed, and we are changing this to an elected board by the voters,” Kifowit said.

It’s a politically appointed board because each of the legislators that affect that district are the ones who make the appointments, Wheeler said. 

“No, that is not correct," Kifowit countered. "The law is vague, and... recently, several legislators were not included in the appointment of a board member, so what you are saying is incorrect."

That was when Wheeler was done with questions and spoke directly to the bill. 

“I vehemently disagree with your characterization of this bill,” he said.

Calling the bill a blatant power grab from his friends on the other side of the aisle, Wheeler said it was being done to make it clear that Aurora will dictate who gets to be on the board when Aurora does not entirely make up the district.

Coming to her district's defense, Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) said the board is supposed to be a reflective body of the Fox Metro area, but it is not. 

“It’s always been a gentlemen’s game, and we have played fair,” she said.

However, the last appointment created a line that had to be drawn, according to LaVia. 

“It was a very strong political and Republican move, not a Democratic move, Rep. Wheeler,” she said.

That's not the way Wheeler viewed it. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, if this were an election process that was set up so each part of the district would be equally represented, that would be a different story,” Wheeler said. “This is not that at all; please vote no.”

Despite his rejection, SB 2830 passed the House 66-49. It moved the Gov. Bruce Rauner's desk but was vetoed on Aug. 24.