ELECT Maurella

09/07/2026

Listening is only the first step. Residents should be able to see what happens after they raise a concern.

As Treasurer, I would propose a public, privacy-protected response log that summarizes recurring taxpayer questions and shows:

• The issue residents are asking about
• The office’s plain-English answer
• Whether a form, webpage, or process needs improvement
• The date an improvement was made
• What remains under review

No private taxpayer information belongs in a public log. But repeated confusion should not remain invisible either.

A response log would turn resident questions into a practical improvement list: helping the Treasurer’s Office communicate better, reduce avoidable frustration, and serve people more efficiently.

The Treasurer does not set tax rates, determine property assessments, or approve the county budget. The office can still listen, explain, and improve the way it serves taxpayers.

Leadership that listens. Action that works.

What recurring question should the Treasurer’s Office answer more clearly?

09/07/2026

09/07/2026

Carmen Maurella III for Will County Treasurer.

09/06/2026



09/04/2026

Could a senior who earned more than $65,000 still qualify for property-tax relief? The answer may be yes.

Illinois has raised the income limit for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption to $75,000 for 2026: up from $65,000. That change may help more Will County seniors qualify to freeze the assessed value used in calculating their property taxes, helping protect what they have built and keep more of what they’ve earned.

A practical next step: contact the Will County Supervisor of Assessments or your township assessor to check eligibility and filing deadlines. The Treasurer does not set tax rates, determine property assessments, approve the county budget, or process exemptions. Those responsibilities belong elsewhere.

As an Accountant and candidate for Treasurer, I want residents to know where relief may be available: and where to turn for answers. In the Treasurer’s Office, I will ensure every dollar collected is handled with accuracy, accountability, and respect. Every dollar has a name.

What questions are you hearing from seniors? Send them my way for the next Treasurer’s Inbox.

09/04/2026

Financial reports should inform taxpayers: not make them reach for a dictionary.

As Treasurer, I would support a plain-English glossary alongside public financial reports so residents can understand terms such as:

• Receipts
• Distributions
• Available cash
• Encumbrances
• Reconciled balance
• Investment maturity
• Unapplied payment

The goal is not to oversimplify the numbers. It is to explain them accurately so residents can ask better questions and officials can be held to a clearer standard.

The Treasurer does not approve the county budget, set tax rates, or determine property assessments. The office does have a duty to maintain accurate records, protect public funds, distribute receipts correctly, and communicate clearly.

Transparency works best when ordinary people can use it.

Every dollar has a name. Every financial term should have a clear meaning.

Which Treasurer’s Office term would you like explained in plain English?

09/03/2026

Taxpayer service cannot stop when systems, buildings, or routines are disrupted.

A professional Treasurer’s Office should maintain a tested continuity plan for essential operations, including:

• Secure backups of critical financial records
• Clearly assigned responsibilities during an interruption
• Alternative procedures for receiving and documenting payments
• A communication plan for taxpayers and taxing bodies
• A documented return to normal operations

Continuity planning is not about creating alarm. It is about protecting accurate records and keeping required distributions moving when the unexpected happens.

The Treasurer’s office has a responsibility to safeguard public funds, maintain reliable records, and serve taxpayers consistently. That responsibility continues during an emergency or system interruption.

The Treasurer does not set tax rates, determine assessments, or approve the county budget. But the office must be ready to carry out its duties when residents and local governments are counting on it.

Leadership that listens. Action that works. Preparation that protects.

What would you want the Treasurer’s Office to communicate first during a service interruption?

09/03/2026



09/02/2026

When a taxpayer pays more than expected: or a payment cannot immediately be matched to an account: the answer should never be “wait and wonder.”

As Treasurer, I would advocate for an annual review of overpayments and unapplied balances, with a clear process to:

• Identify unresolved balances
• Research the correct account or recipient
• Notify taxpayers when appropriate
• Resolve errors with documented approvals
• Report aggregate results without exposing private information

Accurate records protect taxpayers and local taxing bodies alike. They also help prevent small administrative problems from becoming larger financial frustrations.

The Treasurer collects property taxes, issues bills and receipts, and distributes receipts to taxing bodies. The Treasurer does not set tax rates, determine property assessments, or approve the county budget.

This is practical accountability: find the exception, follow the record, and close the loop.

Every dollar has a name: and every unexplained balance deserves attention.

What payment or account issue has been hardest for you to get resolved?