Real Property Alliance video
A recent Chicago Tribune article (found here) states the obvious for our Barrington neighbors. The Observer was asked to post what follows, and we encourage readers to share this with Barrington voters they know:
What you should know about Home Rule
Property owners throughout Illinois are sensitive to how much they pay in property taxes and fees. The state has some of the highest property taxes in the nation, and in many smaller Illinois communities, the problem is particularly acute as local budgets are perilously imbalanced.
That’s why many smaller communities try to convince residents that becoming a Home Rule unit would benefit them. Home Rule cuts voters out of having a direct say on whether they want to pay more to live in their community, and almost always the result is HIGHER taxes.
“With a population of just over 10,000, Barrington is seeking Home Rule Authority for the first time since being denied by voters in 2014. While officials have said little about their intent, the lone public presentation indicated a desire to identify additional sources of tax revenue, increase debt capacity, and create new property regulations. While Village officials have been tight-lipped about why they want home rule, one quote from a Village Trustee was telling: “…there is a lot more to home rule. There is a lot of authority that we can have that we would miss out on in being not home rule that other communities can do. It’s not just raising taxes.” (emphasis added)
The way we have seen that authority manifest in other Home Rule communities is in the form of transfer taxes, pre-sale home inspections, and discriminatory rental regulations. The fact that they’re not saying how they want to use Home Rule should tell voters everything they need to know.”
The Real Property Alliance article and video continues here.
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