October 11, 2005
Dear River Forest Residents - VOTE NO on Home Rule!
I'm very disappointed in River Forest's elected leadership and their attempt to sell us the "Home Rule" bill of goods. First, the people of River Forest deserve a debate on adopting Home Rule, and not a series of lectures from proponents masquerading as "disinterested experts."
River Forest's Leadership seems to be trolling around for any reason, no matter how thin, to foist this expansion of Government Power over the Citizens of River Forest.
First, they attempted to sell this power grab as a way to "help River Forest's Schools with out a property tax increase." That pretense was rapidly dropped when the School Board realized that "Home Rule" might put at risk their attempt to saddle River Forest's taxpayers with an even larger tax increase.
The Village and the School Board are engaging in a charade here. Both the Trustees and the School Board know that Home Rule status allows a Municipality to circumvent Illinois Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL). This push for Home Rule status is nothing more than an attempt to saddle River Forest residents with ever greater spending and larger tax bills.
Proponents of Home Rule are trying to persuade us that its adoption will allow us to "control our own local affairs." This completely skirts the real issue. Home Rule is not about "local versus State Control." It is about "Government versus Individual" control. Make no mistake about it. Adopting Home Rule in River Forest will strengthen River Forest's Government at the expense of River Forest's residents.
Allow me to demonstrate using Home Rule's proponent's own words.
They stated that Home Rule expanded "authority to regulate landfills, implement parental responsibility laws or enact bans ranging from handguns to street vendors." River Forest has precious few "business entities" that require such regulation (unless the Trustees have plans to get River Forest a landfill.)
River Forest parents are already responsible. To think that the city can impose "parental responsibility" through more laws is bad policy, as well as insulting. We don't have problems with street vendors. We don't need "bans" on our behavior. We are a well-behaved bunch already. Strip away the pretense. These supposed "features" of Home Rule are a smoke screen obscuring the true goal of the proponents. Circumventing the tax caps.
Home Rule proponents pretend that it is somebody else's taxes that will rise. They stated, "A key issue of home rule is that it gives greater latitude in taxation and issuing debt. It allows the village to shift the reliance on property taxes and impose it instead on non-residents in the form of a hotel tax, restaurant and amusement taxes."
Yes, that is all River Forest residents need - more taxes and more debt. The idea that we can impose taxation on "non-residents" is laughable. In reality, our town has a relatively small number of business establishments, most of which serve primarily River Forest Residents. Our retail establishments don't need another "competitive disadvantage" with communities that have lower rental or labor costs, and River Forest residents certainly don't need new taxes layered upon their already steep property taxes.
There is only one way to relieve the burden of government for River Forest residents, and expanding powers for more regulation, debt and taxation isn't it. There is far more obvious solution. Cut spending. This will reduce the reasons for monies to be spent. Live within the means already provided. With the large run up in property values and expansion in the housing stock through Condominium development, River Forest has all the resources it should need to meet the needs of government (and education).
We need to seek out ways to reduce the cost & power of government at the local, state, & federal level. Home Rule in River Forest weakens its families and individuals and empowers government, primarily by circumventing Illinois property tax-cap. I urge everyone to call the Trustees and tell them to vote no on a Home Rule referendum. Anyone willing to organize opposition to a referendum, should it pass a vote of the Trustees, should feel should feel free to contact me.
Posted by Bruno Behrend at October 11, 2005 12:15 AM