River Forest Voters Turn Down Home Rule
Nearly 80 percent of River Forest voters voted against adopting home rule on November 6, 2012.
The vote was 4,307 “No” to 1,079 “Yes.”
Meanwhile the referendum to repeal home rule in Maywood is failing with over 60 percent voting to keep home rule (11 of 17 precincts reporting).
A 2011 study of home rule municipalities (including Illinois) found that:
Adopting home rule does not result in higher property taxes (page 4)
Home rule towns have better bond ratings than non–home rule jurisdictions (page 4)
Property taxes increase at a faster rate in non–home rule communities (page 4)
Home rule towns have used their broader taxing powers to reduce dependency on property taxes, not to raise more money (page 4)
Home rule villages perform better than non–home rule jurisdictions, enabling them to undertake projects that enhanced their communities’ quality of life, economic prosperity, fiscal health, and performance in ways not possible without home rule powers (page 4)
Home rule towns did not levy higher taxes per capita than non–home rule communities (page 4)
Home rule communities reduced expenditures and the size of government (page 4)
Published in the February 2011 issue of policyprofiles from Northern Illinois University’s Center for Governmental Studies, the report concluded:
“There is no reason to believe that increasing local government powers would cause or lead public officials to become less trustworthy, responsible, responsive, fair, or effective in using their governmental powers or fulfilling their governmental responsibilities.” (pages 5–6)
The study also reported on the results of four independent studies of that found that Illinois home rule communities have not misused their property taxing powers. (pages 2–3)
See for yourself. Click here to read the full eight–page article. See the municipal property tax rates for all 133 Cook County towns. River Forest is in the lowest 40 percent.
Contrary to the alarmist assertions of home rule deniers, a thorough study of the actual use of home rule powers by Illinois’ home rule communities over 30 years concludes “the Illinois experience suggests that, with adequate safeguards, local officials can be trusted with broad based local tax powers.”
As noted below, River Forest has adopted these types of safeguards noted in this research study that was published in The Journal of Regional Analysis & Policy. The study, Illinois Home Rule: A Case Study in Fiscal Responsibility, found just seven “reasonably verifiable examples of unwarranted uses of home rule powers” among the 209 home rule communities over a 30 year period.
The author concludes, “Indeed, the Illinois home rule experience suggests that city councils and village boards have demonstrated impressive, although not complete, responsibility in the use of local taxing powers.”
That’s far better than anything you could say about the Illinois General Assembly.
Skeptical? Click here to read the study for yourself. It’s written for a professional journal and, therefore, can cure insomnia. But it factually shows that the sensationalist accusations about the abuse of home rule taxing powers are simply false and not supported by the facts.
Yet another study published in The Journal of Regional Analysis & Policy found that home rule makes no difference in tax rates. It also provides a factual history of home rule in Illinois. While it, too, can cure insomnia, it’s another source of factual information on the impacts, or lack thereof, of home rule.
The study, Illinois Home Rule: A Thirty Year Assessment, reports:
“There is a diverse body of evidence that indicates that home rule communities have used their more flexible powers in innovative ways to address local problems. The most commonly cited uses of home rule powers have involved economic development, control of community development, reduced borrowing costs, and local tax burdens shifted to non–residents.” (page 5)
The 2001 study found that “In the 152 Illinois local governments that have tried home rule in the last thirty years, 147, or 97 per cent, still have it. Voters in only 26 of these communities, or 17 per cent, have even challenged the system with a retention election. In short, where home rule has been tried in Illinois, voters have been supportive of it.” (page 5)
Click here to read the entire study.
Home rule is the “rule” in Illinois. We are among the 20 percent of Illinois residents who lack home rule — 80 percent of Illinois residents live in home rule communities. Nearly all of the very best governed communities in Illinois have home rule. Of 213 home rule communities, only four voted to repeal home rule, none since 1983. None have voted to repeal it since then.
Elephants in the Room:
Serious Thoughts About Who We Can Trust to Determine River Forest’s Destiny
Talking to fellow River Forest residents, I’ve learned there are two rather large elephants in the room when it comes to home rule:
Trust, and
The handful of fiscally–irresponsible governments who scare a lot of people
Who do you trust to set the rules for River Forest government: the Illinois General Assembly, or our own River Forest Village Board?
The referendum will be located near the end of your ballot on November 6.
Control Our Own Destiny
Vote “Yes” to bring River Forest into the 21st Century
To contact us, please send an email to facts@rfhomerule.info
This campaign to adopt home rule is completely funded by individual donations.
Absolutely no taxpayer funds have been used to support the campaign to adopt home rule
Last updated October 24, 2012. Sponsored by River Forest First.
Steering Committee: Louis Vitullo, Daniel Lauber, Carmela Corsini, Jim Winikates.