Show summary Hide summary
Nathan Benoit, a 27-year-old mortgage loan officer from Bourbonnais, is running to retain the Kankakee County Board seat for District 28 after being appointed in October 2025. His campaign emphasizes careful budgeting, stronger public safety funding, and clearer government transparency—issues that directly affect property taxes, local services and everyday life in the county.
Background and local ties
Kankakee County District 28 candidate Nathan Benoit reveals priorities in 2026 questionnaire
Terence Crawford turns fight earnings into a growing fortune: inside his investment strategy
Benoit works for Groves Capital, Inc., and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Roosevelt University (2021). He is the youngest member of the county board and serves as vice chair of its Finance Committee. His county committee assignments include Planning, Zoning & Agriculture and Criminal Justice. Outside elected office he coaches tennis at Bishop McNamara and participates in local Republican Party activities and civic groups.
He lives and works in Kankakee County and says his professional experience with mortgages gives him daily visibility into how county decisions influence household budgets and home values.
Top priorities
Benoit lays out three central goals for his next term. They aim to shape fiscal decisions and how residents interact with county government:
- Fiscal responsibility — keep county spending under control, plan for long-term liabilities and avoid unnecessary new costs for property owners.
- Public safety — ensure the sheriff’s office, prosecutors and courts have effective resources while demanding accountability for how those dollars are used.
- Transparency — make budgets, votes and county decisions easy for residents to access; maintain open lines for constituents to raise questions directly.
How he approaches development and farmland
Benoit describes agriculture as foundational to the county’s economy and says protecting farm operations is a priority. At the same time, he acknowledges the need to expand the tax base and create local jobs.
Rather than applying a blanket policy, he evaluates zoning requests on a case-by-case basis: compatibility with the county land-use plan, impacts on neighboring properties and infrastructure capacity, and public input gathered during hearings. He stresses weighing property owners’ rights alongside the interests of nearby residents and long-term county planning.
On foreign investment and recent land sales
When questioned about purchases by overseas companies, Benoit emphasizes regulatory compliance and public disclosure. He says the county must enforce local codes, environmental safeguards and safety requirements uniformly, while national security concerns belong to state and federal authorities. At the local level, his focus is on ensuring residents receive clear information about new investors and projects.
Position on the BUILD Act and housing policy
As a mortgage professional, Benoit acknowledges rising housing costs in the area. He opposes the BUILD Act in its current form, arguing it would shift zoning authority to Springfield and erode local control over land-use decisions. He suggests reducing local regulatory burdens—rather than surrendering decision-making—to increase housing supply while preserving community input through public hearings.
Attendance and conduct
Benoit reports he has attended all board meetings and all committee sessions of which he is a member. He frames respectful participation and a willingness to explain county actions as part of his job: if he wins or loses, he says he will respect the official results and support an orderly transition.
What this means for residents
Voters in District 28 can expect a candidate who ties fiscal choices to everyday consequences—property taxes, infrastructure and public safety budgets—and who prioritizes transparency. For homeowners and farm families, Benoit’s approach signals a preference for local decision-making on development and scrutiny of how public dollars are spent.
Strengths and weaknesses of Kankakee County
He points to the county’s people and location as its greatest assets: active farm communities, small-town life and proximity to Chicago, plus natural resources such as the Kankakee River and state parks that support recreation and tourism.
His top concern is cost of living, particularly property tax pressure driven in part by state mandates and pension obligations beyond county control. He favors holding down local costs where possible to help young families buy homes and remain in the area.
Personal details: Benoit is single, does not list an active campaign website, and remains engaged in local party and civic organizations while serving on the county board.
