Voters in Tuesday’s election will have more to consider than just which candidates to select. There are statewide, county and municipal referenda as well.
Five statewide measures are on the ballot in Illinois, including constitutional amendments on the rights to register and vote in elections and on reinforcing crime victims’ rights. Advisory questions on whether insurance plans should include prescription birth control, whether taxpayers who earn more than $1 million should pay an additional 3% tax, and whether the state minimum wage should be increased to $10 per hour.
Countywide referenda include the Boone County question on funding a new animal services facility and a sales tax increase in Livingston, Lee, Whiteside and Carroll counties to fund school facilities, electric power aggregation in Lee County and in Kendall County.
Several school districts have ballot issues, including the Rockford School District request to use building funds to construct one or more new schools; at-large representation questions in the Belvidere, Paw Paw, and Durand school districts.
There also are questions on funding ambulance services, road departments and much more.
Wisconsin voters will offer non-binding opinions on whether to accept federal funds to enhance the statewide BadgerCare and whether the state should increase the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. There also is a question on establishing a state transportation fund.
Following is a list by county (with links to sample ballots) of ballot issues from throughout the WNIJ listening area.
- Shall the County of Boone be authorized to construct and equip a new Animal Services Building and issue its bonds to the amount of $800,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
- Shall the Board of Education of Rockford School District Number 205, Winnebago and Boone Counties, build and equip one or more school buildings and use only funds existing in the District's Capital Projects Fund for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
- Shall the members of the Board of Education of Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 be elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the District?
- Shall the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the North Suburban Public Library District, Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois, be increased from the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to 21% for the 2014 levy year?
- Shall the corporate authorities of the City of Spring Valley be authorized to levy an additional Retailer's Occupation tax at a rate of 1/2% for expenditures on municipal operations, expenditures on public infrastructure, or other property tax relief?
- Shall the Buda Fire Protection District levy a Special Tax at a rate not to exceed .40% of the value of all taxable property within the District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing an ambulance service?
- Shall the Buda Fire Protection District levy a Special Tax at a rate not to exceed .05% of the value of all taxable property within the District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing funds to pay for the costs of emergency and rescue crews and equipment?
- Shall the maximum allowable tax rate for the Buda Fire Protection District be increased from 0.30% to 0.40% of the value of all taxable property within the District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue?
- Shall bonds in the amount of $350,000 be issued by the Village of DePue, Bureau County, Illinois, for the purchase of a fire truck and equipment for the fire department in and for the Village, bearing interest at the rate of not to exceed 9% per annum?
- Shall a retailers' occupation tax and a service occupation tax (commonly referred to as a "sales tax") be imposed in The County of Carroll, Illinois, at a rate of 1% to be used exclusively for school facility purposes?
- Shall the present maximum rate of 0.26500% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue on the taxable property of the Village of Shannon for general corporate purposes be increased to a maximum rate of 0.4375% on such taxable property?
- Shall the Township of Franklin have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall Genoa Township, DeKalb County, Illinois be authorized to levy a new tax for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund purposes and have an additional tax of .01542% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein extended for such purposes?
- Do you support removing the corrupting influence of money on our political system by prohibiting politicians from taking campaign money from industries they regulate; increasing transparency for campaign funding; empowering all voters through a tax rebate to contribute to the candidates they support; stopping representatives and senior staff from all lobbying activity for five years once they leave office; and putting limits on ‘super PACs’?
- Shall the City of Sandwich have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Sycamore Park District, DeKalb County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.18500% above the limiting rate for levy year 2013 for the purpose of providing funds to pay the costs of constructing the items identified in the District’s Vision 2020 Plan, for the payment of the expenses incident thereto, and for the operating and maintaining, improving and protecting parks and be equal to 0.60534% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2014?
- Shall bonds in an amount not to exceed $23,000,000 be issued by the Village of Villa Park, DuPage County, Illinois, for the purpose of paying costs of street and related improvements throughout the Village and expenses incidental thereto, said bonds bearing interest at a rate not to exceed 5% per annum?
- Shall the Village of Braceville, Grundy and Will Counties, Illinois, have the authority to arrange the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such a program?
- Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Godley Park District, Will and Grundy Counties, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.1254% above the limiting rate for park purposes for levy year 2011 and be equal to 0.3308% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2013?
- Shall the Board of Education of Herscher Community Unit School District Number 2, Kankakee, Iroquois, Ford, Livingston and Grundy Counties, Illinois, be authorized to issue $3,000,000 bonds for a working cash fund as provided for by Article 20 of the School Code?
- Shall Stockton Township, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, be authorized to levy a new tax for cemetery purposes and have an additional tax of 0.03% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein extended for such purposes?
- Shall the limiting rate under the property tax extension law for Thompson Township Road District, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to .08555% above the limiting rate for the purpose of bridge repair in the Township of Thompson for levy year 2014 and be equal to .6355% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property?
- Shall the bonds of the East Dubuque Public Library District, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, in the amount of $1,330,000 be issued for the purpose of building an addition to and repairing, remodeling and improving the existing East Dubuque Public Library building (including to provide a meeting room therein), furnishing necessary equipment therefor and refinancing certain debt incurred to purchase and improve a building for library purposes?
- Shall the Village of Montgomery, in order to maintain and/or improve the Village’s roads and public infrastructure, and to avoid the imposition of other taxes and fees impose a one percent sales tax for expenditures on public infrastructure or property tax relief pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/8-11-1.3 and 65 ILCS 5/8-11-1.4?
- Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Village of Sleepy Hollow, Kane County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.47423% above the limiting rate for municipal purposes for levy year 2014 and be equal to 1.05383% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2014?
- Shall the County of Kendall have the authority to arrange to the supply of electrical for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Should the use of the Plainfield Township Park District dog parks be regulated by permit?
- Should the Plainfield Township District investigate the purchase or construction of an indoor recreational facility?
- Should the Plainfield Township Park District impose term limits on the members of its park board so that they may serve no more than two six-year terms?
- Shall the Village of Cedar Point, LaSalle County, Illinois, be authorized, on a permanent basis, to levy annually for general corporate purposes a tax not more than 0.4375% of equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein extended, exclusive of the amount levied for the payment of bonded indebtedness, or interest thereon, and exclusive of taxes authorized by law which by their terms provide that those taxes shall be in addition to taxes for general purposes?
- Shall the corporate authorities of the City of Oglesby be authorized to levy an additional Retailer’s Occupation tax at a rate of ½% for expenditures on municipal operations, expenditures on public infrastructure, or other property tax relief?
- Shall future requests to engage in sand mining activities within Waltham Township be permitted?
- Shall the Wenona Fire Protection District levy a special tax at a rate not to exceed .40% of the value of all taxable property within the district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing an ambulance service?
- Shall a retailers' occupation tax and a service occupation tax (commonly referred to as a "sales tax") be imposed in The County of Lee, Illinois, at a rate of 1% to be used exclusively for school facility purposes?
- Shall the County of Lee have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers located in the unincorporated areas of the County who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the City of Dixon have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the Village of Lee have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the Village of Paw Paw have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the Village of Sublette have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall a new combined elementary school district be created in the territory comprising the entire territories of East Coloma Elementary School District #12, County of Whiteside, State of Illinois and Nelson Elementary School District #8, County of Lee, State of Illinois, the Board of Education of said district shall be elected at large and with the authority to levy taxes at the rate of 1.95% for educational purposes, .30% for operations and maintenance purposes, .20% for transportation purposes, and .05% for working cash purposes, each upon the full, fair cash value of all taxable property of the district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue?
- Shall members of the Board of Education of Paw Paw Community Unit School District #271, of Lee and DeKalb Counties, Illinois, be elected in 2015 and thereafter, at large and without restriction by area of residence within the District?
- Shall the City of Fairbury have authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the City of Pontiac have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the City of Streator have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the Board of Education of Herscher Community Unit School District Number 2, Kankakee, Iroquois, Ford, Livingston and Grundy Counties, Illinois, be authorized to issue $3,000,000 bonds for a working cash fund as provided for by Article 20 of the School Code?
- Shall bonds for road purposes be issued by the Waldo Road and Bridge District, Livingston County, Illinois, in the amount of $200,000?
- Shall a retailers' occupation tax and a service occupation tax (commonly referred to as a "sales tax") be imposed in The County of Livingston, Illinois, at a rate of 1% to be used exclusively for school facility purposes?
- Shall the Wenona Fire Protection District levy a special tax at a rate not to exceed .40% of the value of all taxable property within the district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing an ambulance service?
- Shall the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Village of Bull Valley, McHenry County, Illinois be increased from the lesser of 5% or the percentage of increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to 39.69% per year for 2014?
- Shall bonds for resurfacing and repairing roads be issued by the Chemung Township Road District in the amount of $1,250,000 for such purpose?
- Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the River East Public Library District, McHenry County, Illinois be increased by an additional amount equal to .10% above the limiting rate for levy year 2013 and be equal to .2217% of the equalizing assessed value of taxable property therein for all subsequent levy years?
- Shall the members of the Board of Education of Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 be elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the District?
- Shall the present maximum rate of .165% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue on the taxable property of Leaf River Township for road purposes, be increased to a maximum rate of .33% on such taxable property?
- Shall the corporate authorities of the Village of Hillcrest be authorized to levy a sales and occupation tax at the rate of 6.75% for general corporate purposes?
- Shall the Township of Jefferson have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program?
- Shall the Board of Education of Lena-Winslow Community Unit School District No. 202, in Stephenson and JoDaviess Counties, Illinois, acquire, construct and install a project to remodel the high school building, the construction of a separate 80' x 80' building for wrestling and weight room, completion of elementary gym locker rooms, and the replacement of the gym floor in the elementary, and related facilities, improvements and costs, and issue bonds of such School District to the amount of $4,000,000 for such purpose?
- Shall the members of the Board of Education of Durand Community Unit School District Number 322 be elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the District?
- Shall the City of Morrison, Whiteside County, for the purposes of expenditure on public infrastructure, and/or municipal operations, be authorized to impose a non-home rule municipal retailers’ occupation tax of 1% upon all persons engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail in the City of Morrison and impose a non-home rule municipal service occupation tax of 1% upon all persons engaged in the business of making sales of service in the City of Morrison?
- Shall a retailers’ occupation tax and a service occupation tax (sales tax) be imposed in The County of Whiteside, at a rate of 1% to be used exclusively for school facility purposes?
- Shall the corporate authorities of the Village of Roscoe, Illinois, be authorized to levy a Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax and a Municipal Service Occupation Tax, at a rate of one percent (1 %), until June 30, 2024 to be used for expenditures on public
- roadway, sewer, and water infrastructure, specifically, for those improvements identified in the Village's Pavement Management Study and Long Range Multi-year Maintenance Plan?
- Shall the Board of Education of Rockford School District Number 205, Winnebago and Boone Counties, build and equip one or more school buildings and use only funds existing in the District's Capital Projects Fund for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
- Shall the members of the Board of Education of Durand Community Unit School District Number 322 be elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the District?
- Shall the maximum annual tax rate for educational purposes for Meridian Community Unit School District Number 223, Ogle and Winnebago Counties, Illinois, be increased and established at 3.48 percent upon all the taxable property of said
- School District at the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, for the limited period of levy years 2014 to 2020, inclusive, instead of 2.78 percent, the present maximum rate otherwise applicable to the next taxes to be extended for said purposes?
- Shall the New Milford Fire Protection District levy a special at a rate not to exceed .40% of the value of all taxable property within the district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing an ambulance service?
- Shall the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the North Suburban Public Library District, Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois, be increased from the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to 21 % for the 2014 levy year?