Politics & Government

River Forest Puts Home Rule Question on November Ballot

Voters to decide if the village should be a home rule community.

Voters in River Forest will face a ballot question in November asking them to approve or shoot down a measure that would give the village home rule status.

But what exactly is home rule? In its most basic form, it's a framework under which local legislative bodies can make decisions.

In Illinois, there are 209 home rule communities, including places with a population over 25,000 (which are automatically given home rule status) and smaller towns that have approved home rule governance by way of a referendum. And here's a look at what home rule provides:

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A home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function relating to its government affairs, including but not limited to, the power to regulate for the protection of public health, safety, morals and welfare, to license; to tax and to incur debt. Source: Illinois Constitution, Article VII

Leaders in River Forest say home rule status would allow them to find local solutions to local problems. Elected and appointed officials, they say, would be free from the yoke of legislative inertia and ambiguity from lawmakers in Springfield.

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Village President John Rigas points to a series of actions by Illinois lawmakers that have squeezed the flow of state money headed to the village's coffers, and to some of the looming issues like funding police, fire and other employee pensions.

"That's all set by state mandate but funded by locals," Rigas said. "How do we pay for that with the limitations imposed on a non-home rule community?"

But critics of home rule in River Forest say granting home rule status paves the way for the River Forest Village Board to govern unilaterally. One of the key provisions in home rule governance is that a legislative body has the power to implement taxes.

In other words, the village board wouldn't have to ask voters in a referendum to raise property taxes. They could just do it.

"We know that power can corrupt some people," resident Al Popowits told Wednesday Journal, "and I don't want to give any board of trustees in River Forest that kind of power."

Rigas said any fears of government run amok are unfounded, adding that village officials could institute new revenue sources, like taxes on gasoline and liquor, to help hold the line on property taxes.

"We're not at a 'spend' type of community. I'm not sure where all of the fear comes from. There's no history here of out-of-control spending," he said.

Village Administrator Eric Palm said he's mindful of residents' concerns about raising existing taxes, saying the village on Monday will consider an ordinance that would mirror the state's tax cap should the home rule question be approved.

"I think the message that the village board is trying to send is that it will live within its means in terms of the size of government. It's not like we're going to hire 15 new employees overnight," he said.

Still, it might be an uphill battle to convince residents. A campaign to get a similar referendum on the 2006 ballot fizzled in the wake of political strife.

Starting Monday, River Forest village officials are expected to begin offering information to residents in the lead-up to the Nov. 6 election.

Palm said the information distributed to residents (which has to remain neutral) will center on home rule as a benefit to financial stability, economic development, maintaining property values and "reducing regulations and interference from the state of Illinois."

Planning for a number of public meetings is underway.

"There are people on both sides of the coin, and some are against home rule for various reasons, but the referendum puts that decision in the hands of the voters."

Voters Give, Voters Take Away

It's important to not that if a community approves home rule, it's not bound to keep it forever. Voters can put forth a ballot question to revoke home rule status, but any ordinances enacted during the time a community was governed under home rule stay in effect.

And that vote can only take place every 47 months, roughly four years.


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