By Patrick Baron
BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County Board met Tuesday morning and approved placing two public questions on the ballot this fall, though a few board members viewed the questions as political tactics.
The board debated putting two questions on the ballot in November regarding term limits and the idea of a state-wide property tax increase to help with Illinois’ budget woes. The question “Should members of the Illinois General Assembly and statewide elected officials be subject to term limits?” passed 13-4. The question regarding a property tax increase reads “Should the Illinois General Assembly enact a new property tax to pay the Illinois pension obligations?”, which passed 14-3.
Board member Erik Rankin, who is also the county’s Democratic party chairman, said placing the public questions on the ballots is a political move.
“This will move the needle in no way shape or form,” said Rankin. “I said multiple times that we already have processes in place for this as representative government. This is done to push Republican voters to the poll in November.”
Rankin noted both Republicans and Democrats have put public questions on ballots in the past to boost voter turnout.
Concerning the question of the possibility of a one percent statewide property tax increase, Rankin said the question would be “confusing” since there is no legislation in place at this time that would actually raise property taxes. Board member Laurie Wollrab agreed with Rankin on the issue saying, “we’re inserting ourselves where we don’t belong at the state level.”
“Advisory questions, in our history, have been about the county,” Rankin asserted.
Board Chairman John McIntyre said Rankin did a “great job” in debating his side of the issue. He added the idea of the questions being political moves was news to him.
“It’s just an advisory,” said McIntyre. “It was a matter of our board voting whether they want to put it on as an advisory to encourage public debate on it, that’s all.”
Supporters of placing the questions on the ballot said it gives the public an opportunity to let the state know their feelings on the issue.
Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].
