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ABOUT KURT

Kurt is a dedicated husband and father, who lives in Edwardsville.

 

He is a Certified Public Accountant and a lifelong learner, intent on applying his experience and values to the betterment of Madison County.

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Accomplishments as County Board Chairman

  • Reduced County-Portion of Property Taxes – Despite increases in city taxes that cause overall propertytaxes to increase, the county portion of your tax levy decreased 22%

  •  Animal Control - Achieved no-kill status in 2019, while reducing the cost of Animal Control by $220,000

  •  Tax Levy - County Board voted to reduce tax levy by $1.8 million in November 2017. In November 2018, did not raise tax levy.

  • Public Safety - County Board approved budget increasing resources for public safety: one more Sheriff’s deputy, four jailers, one probation officer, one public defender, and one deputy coroner.

  • Purchasing – saved money through honest and open bidding

  • Buildings – saved millions in courthouse and jail renovation, correcting decades of deferred maintenance

  • County employee management – Require county employees to track hours worked by clocking in and out, tracked by an HR info system just like the private sector

  • Metro East Sanitary District – Appointed new leadership, improved drainage, and saved millions

Accomplishments as a citizen

  • 2011 – a leader in campaign that defeated 1% sales tax

  • 2013 – a leader in defeating the $18.8 million backdoor tax increase to remodel jail

  • 2016 – led campaign to put tax cut referendum on November ballot. Voters approved (4 to 1) reducing general fund tax rate from .25 to .20, saving taxpayers $2.5 million/year.

  • Accomplishments as County Treasurer 2010-2016

  • Exposed unethical tax sales. In 2014, former treasurer Fred Bathon went to federal prison for criminal bid-rigging.

  • Reduced budget by 30%. Saves $300,000/year

  • Ran ETHICAL tax sales – with penalty rates 4% (compared to Bathon’s 18%)

  • Exposed investment scheme between two prior treasurers and on Little Rock, Arkansas bond salesman

  • Increased deposits in LOCAL banks, from $30 to $90 million

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