421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Legislative Committee  
Final Summary  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Tuesday, December 10, 2024  
11:30 AM  
Room 3500A  
1.  
CALL TO ORDER  
11:30 AM meeting was called to order by Chair DeSart at 1:54 PM.  
2.  
ROLL CALL  
Staff in attendance: Jeremy Custer (Senior Advisor), Conor McCarthy (Assistant State's  
Attorney) and Treasurer Gwen Henry.  
Childress, DeSart, Galassi, and Garcia  
Eckhoff, Honig, and Zay  
PRESENT  
EXCUSED  
ABSENT  
Ozog, and Schwarze  
3.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
3.A.  
24-3293  
Legislative Minutes - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, October 8, 2024  
ACCEPTED  
Dawn DeSart  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
4.  
5.  
6.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
No public comments were offered.  
CHAIR'S REMARKS - CHAIR DESART  
Chair Dawn DeSart shared that the Legislative Breakfast would be on January 17th at 9am at  
Arrowhead Golf Club.  
PRESENTATION  
6.A. Presentation from the Treasurer's Office  
Chair DeSart introduced and welcomed Treasurer Gwen Henry to discuss the unique situation  
she has encountered regarding property tax and determine if there is something the Legislative  
Committee can do by working with the General Assembly to remedy the situation.  
Treasurer Henry presented a situation where the tax payer was incorrectly assessed in 2022 and  
this incorrect assessment was not identified until 2023. It was determined that the tax payer  
overpaid by $3,346.32. Because tax year 2022 was closed, the Treasurer is unable to refund the  
money. She is asking for the Legislative Committee to work with the General Assembly to  
include language that will allow DuPage to go back three years in correcting overpayment errors.  
If there is a error in the assessment, the current law allows the county to go back three years if the  
county is over three million in population. DuPage does not meet the criteria. Treasurer Henry  
pointed out that other laws have included DuPage by adding the wording "if contiguous with a  
county with over three million in population." One example of this is the increase given for  
residential or senior exemptions on property tax this last year.  
Treasurer Henry's second request was to use this same wording to lower the penalties/interest for  
late payment of property taxes.  
Jeremy Custer agreed to work with the Treasurer's staff to discover what can be done.  
7.  
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS  
7.A.  
LEG-R-0005-24  
Resolution to Adopt the County's 2025 State Legislative Program  
Member Galassi would like to add to the "Keeping Our Communities Safe" section of the  
2025 State Legislative Program to be stronger on pre-trial detainment. There was  
discussion surrounding the Safety Act and how it affects pre-trial detainment.  
Jeremy Custer went over the 2025 State Legislative Program.  
Member Galassi stated that she was voting affirmatively as long as amendments can be  
added to the "Keeping Our Communities Safe" section before or during County Board.  
Member Galassi had to leave after the vote.  
Member Childress stated he would like to discuss the pros and cons of Home Rule. The  
committee agreed they would be interested in the same. The members voiced interest in  
the full Board being versed on the subject.  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Dawn DeSart  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Paula Garcia  
SECONDER:  
8.  
OLD BUSINESS  
No old business was discussed.  
9.  
NEW BUSINESS  
No new business was discussed.  
10.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:25 PM.