Editor’s note: This is one in a series of stories about contested races in the March 17 primary election.
The Republican primary race for a Kane County Board seat in District 13 in the March 17 election includes candidates Ryan Deniz and Anthony Catella.
The winner in the contest will move on to the general election on Nov. 3 to face the victor in the Democratic primary race between Nicolas “Nico” Jimenez and incumbent Michael Linder.
Ryan Deniz
Deniz, 43, of Geneva, says he grew up in the area and that voters are concerned about taxes, public safety and the current economic environment within the county.
“In regards to taxes, they’re too high and people are concerned about spending. The county is operating at a deficit and most people know they tried to increase property levies and they had the countywide sales tax referendum that was shot down,” Deniz said. “They’ve got major concerns about that.”
Public safety concerns a “lot of the unfunded mandates that are sometimes being pushed from downstate.”
“Some of those have no funding and that’s a problem for our constituents,” Deniz explained. “Those unfunded mandates affect public safety here as it puts pressure on our local sheriff to deal with – obviously, there’s a mental health crisis and there’s inadequate funding for that and it puts more of a burden on public safety. If we can’t fund our mental health crisis it’s going to compound and lead to other issues.”
Ryan Deniz is running in the Republican primary for a seat on the Kane County Board in District 13. (Ryan Deniz)
Economic development is another topic voters are concerned about, Deniz said.
If elected, Deniz wants to work on a number of issues including serving “on the new Kane County Economic Committee” which he wants to be a part of “because that’s going to help coordinate deals for the county and hopefully open up more business opportunities here.”
“I’d also like to work with public safety as I’m in the medical field and work as a chiropractor,” he said. “It would be great to try to work with the mental health crisis you’re hearing about from people, especially with all the turmoil from ICE and everything.”
Deniz said he would also be interested in looking into “the budgetary shortfalls and if hiring freezes need to be continued or enacted.”
“I’d also be open to RTA diversion of tax funds to help with public safety,” he said.
Anthony Catella
Catella, 55, of St. Charles, said this is his second time running for county board and that voters are telling him their concerns include taxation, safety and the ability to buy adequate housing.
“Taxes – property taxes are high and people would, of course, like to have them lowered,” he said. “The current county board seems to find ways to increase any kind of tax rather than lower it. There seems to be more raises than cuts.”
Regarding safety, Catella acknowledges that “crime is always an issue” but adds that “St. Charles is basically a peaceful town.”
Anthony Catella is running in the Republican primary for a Kane County Board seat in District 13. (Anthony Catella)
Regarding housing, Catella said citizens “want homes to remain affordable” despite the growth in the area.
“People don’t want to see prices skyrocket and still have affordable housing – when prices go up, it’s because somebody has to get paid that we either know or don’t know about,” he said.
If elected, Catella said his goals include focusing “on cooperation with my fellow board members, whether they are Republican or Democrat.”
“I want to get on that board and listen to what they have to say and hopefully they listen to what I have to say and we can come up with some compromise agreement we can all agree to and vote on and be beneficial to the people of District 13,” he said.
Catella said he is supportive of local protest groups that “are united against hate” adding that “nobody wants to be the object of somebody’s hatred or scorn.”
Catella said he wants to also see “less regulation of county businesses, more control of county spending and a stable monetary supply which can be brought about by reducing interest rates and bringing down inflation.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
