Homer Glenn residents will be asked in the March 19 election whether the village should carry forward efforts to develop or close the Township government, a trick supporters say that the government and duplicative services will be the first step to eliminate layers of duplicate services and save taxpayer’s money.
“This is a local advisor opinion on public policy,” said Village Attorney Michael Passalinelly. “Is this accepted or rejected by voters, there is no legal result.”
Mayor Christina Nietzke-Troik said that the referendum is not binding, but will reduce the sentiments of the residents and give direction to the village board.
If the referendum passes, it shows that the residents are interested in eliminating a layer of the government, Neetzke-Troik said, Illinois has three times more government bodies than other states.
He said that other elected officers are looking at Homer Glenn, and the village could be a trailblazer.
“If the residents voted yes, it would put pressure on all taxing bodies,” said Neetzke-Troik. “The residents are fed up. We cannot tolerate it any more. If the residents say ‘Yes, get rid of taxing bodies that we do not need,’ this volume will speak. ,
Homer Glenn makes approximately 62% of the townships, with a lockport accounting for about 30%. The township has about 6.8% unirrigated area and is just more than 1% new Lenox and Lamont combined.
Homer Glenn Treasurer John Sors said that Homer Township collects $ 1.94 million taxes in taxes, including the taxes levied by the Highway Department, said Homer Glenn Treasurer John Sawyers. He said that Homar Glenn residents are paying about $ 1.2 million to the township.
A house worth about $ 375,000 pays approximately $ 169 in property taxes based on tax rates of 2022, Sors said.
Neetzke-Troik said that Homer Glenn residents are paying for township services that do not receive them.
“It was never proposed to benefit us as a village in any way,” said Neetzke-Troik. “It was proposed to save the money of the residents. We need to give relief to the residents. ,
Homer Township Office at Homer Glenn. (Brett Johnson/Daily Southtown)
The Township provides several services to its inhabitants, however, the Homer Township supervisor Steve Balich said.
The township takes care of some roads that use homer Glen residents, maintain open spaces and a medical supply cabinet for a dog park, loan walker, shower chairs, crutches and other items, providing plans for senior services and schemes such as a senior expo and a pet fair, he said.
The township is also working on plans for a civic center that when completion is completed after recreational opportunities for school programs, horticulture programs and individuals with special requirements, Balich said.
“Are we going to exclude Homer Glenn?” No, ”Balich said.
Homer Township operates at low cost and connected to people, and residents are turned to township officials when helping on various problems, Balich said.
Balich said that the complex in the referendum is the Homer Township is just an area larger than the Homer Glenn, but only the residents of Homer Glenn will see the question on the ballot.
Supporters of the referendum said that the township was more necessary before joining the village in 2001.
Neetzke-Troik said that residents are paying for duplicate services.
He said that the village capacity awareness committee also has a medical closet and provides senior services.
He said that the village had controlled several parks within its boundaries, which maintained the township. But the township has its open space qualities that generate revenue by leasing it from lease to the farmers of the area.
A few years ago, Homer Glenn maintained equipment from the Homar Township Road District, along with 130 mile roads, when he formed his Public Works Department. Neetzke-Troik said that the village can connect about 18 miles of roads under the authority of Township Road district.
It costs around $ 12,100 per mile per mile to maintain its 130 miles for the Homer Glenn Public Works Department, while it costs around $ 44,000 per mile to live at a distance of 18 miles for Homer Township Road District.
Homer Township Road Commissioner Brent Porfilio disputes those numbers. He said that the township costs around $ 43,000 per mile at a distance of 18.5 miles of township roads. But when the village costs from all the funds used to support the roads, pavements, sewers, lighting, karb, gutters and other work, the Homer Glenn spends about $ 53,000 per mile per mile, he said.
Porfilio said the township road district is capable of working more efficiently, employs two people, has better equipment and uses better road salt in winter. All inspections for engineering and manufacturing projects are performed by Porfilio, an engineer who has no additional cost at an additional cost for an Illinois Transport Department.
Due to his efficient operation, there is no way that he will convert 18.5 mile roads into the village, he said.
Porfilio said, “It is not cheap for taxpayers to dissolve the township.” “People who live in unirrigated areas do not want to live in the village. He had more than 20 years (annex). They do not want taxes or rules. ,
Neetzke-Troik said that unirrigated areas would not be forcibly performed.
The Mahasabha should provide special rights to a county or municipality, which, according to the Illinois Policy Institute, a non -profit research and education organization, advocates improvement in laws and rules affecting Illinois.
Neetzke-Troik said the Illinois Mahasabha has given some rights to consolidate or dissolve units of local governments.
A law was enacted in 2013, which was dissolved the Evanston Township and also enacted a separate law to allow the Duppage County Board to dissolve or consolidate the government’s various units. In 2016, another law allowed McHeenry and Lake Counties to dissolve the government units and Belleville also empowered to dissolve its township.
The village of Homer Glenn has spent about $ 4,050 in legal fees in search of a referendum.
Neetzke-Troik said that if the referendum passes, it wants to work in various ways that the taxes of the residents can be cut.
Mitchell Mulins is a freelance reporter for Daily Southtown.