The document discusses a referendum on the November 2nd ballot for the City of Blue Island to become a home rule municipality. As a home rule municipality, Blue Island would have greater local control and decision-making authority over issues of local concern without needing approval from higher levels of government. It would allow Blue Island to have more flexibility in areas like demolition permits and providing business incentives to help revitalize the local economy. Nearby towns like Alsip, Bridgeview, Calumet Park, and others are already home rule municipalities.

1. HOME RULE
For the City of Blue Island

2. Referendum Question on
November 2nd
Ballot
“Shall the City of Blue Island become a
HOME RULE municipality?”

3. What is a HOME RULE municipality?
“A home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any
function pertaining to its government and affairs including,
but not limited to, the power to regulate for the
PROTECTION of the PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY,
MORALS and WELFARE; to LICENSE; to TAX; and to
incur DEBT.”
-Illinois Constitution, Article VII Sect. 6a

4. What is HOME RULE?
HOME RULE allows communities to have greater decision
making authority on dealing with issues that are of local
concern without first having to get permission from the
Cook County and Springfield.
In Illinois, towns with less than 25,000 residents can vote on
a referendum to become a home rule municipality.

5. What is HOME RULE?
As of Feb. 2, 2010 there are 201 HOME RULE
Municipalities in Illinois.
Over seventy percent (>70%) of Illinois citizens live in
municipalities that are governed by HOME RULE.
HOME RULE gives greater local control over issues that are
of local concern.

6. What is HOME RULE?
HOME RULE will allow Blue Island to have more flexibility
to make decisions quicker (e.g. Demolition Permits from
Cook County)
HOME RULE will allow Blue Island to provide incentives to
new and existing businesses to help revitalize the business
district.

7. What is HOME RULE?
HOME RULE communities are proven to be less dependent
on property taxes*
Municipalities without HOME RULE experience a sixty-one
percent faster increase in tax rate**
* Survey by the Office of the Illinois Comptroller
** Journal of Public Economics

8. What nearby towns are HOME RULE?
Alsip (1990)
Bridgeview (2002)
Calumet Park (1976)
Chicago
Chicago Heights
Chicago Ridge (1994)
Country Club Hills (1993)
Dolton
East Hazel Crest (1989)
Evergreen Park
Harvey
Hazel Crest
Lansing
Markham
Midlothian (2010)
Oak Forest
Oak Lawn
Orland Park
Posen (2004)
Riverdale (2006)
Robbins (1998)
Tinley Park

9. What HOME RULE does NOT do
automatically
HOME RULE does NOT automatically increase the City’s
portions of property taxes
HOME RULE does NOT apply sales tax to groceries or
medicine
HOME RULE does NOT impose any new utility tax on
residents
HOME RULE does NOT automatically institute a Real
Estate Transfer Tax

10. How HOME RULE Helps Financially
Without HOME RULE the City has no ability to increase
revenue except to raise property taxes and fees on residents
Without HOME RULE the entire tax burden is on the
homeowner
With HOME RULE the tax burden is shared amongst both
resident’s and non-resident’s

11. When Blue Island makes the decisions and
NOT Springfield, we can…
Reduce Dependency on Property Taxes
Implement Crime-Free Housing
Reduce Interest Rates and Improve the Credit Rating
Impose Impact Fees on Developers

12. As a HOME RULE municipality…
Blue Island would still be required to follow:
- The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- The Open Meetings Act

13. As a HOME RULE municipality…
Blue Island would be able to collect fines and fees from
overweight trucks, traffic citations, etc. instead of the fines
and fees going to the Cook County Government
Blue Island would be able to implement Crime-Free Housing
to better control crime in apartment complexes and
prosecute absentee landlords
Blue Island would be able to impose a Gas Tax that would be
used for bridge, street and sewer repairs
Blue Island would be able to lower interest rates and reduce
the cost of borrowing, thus saving tax-payer dollars

14. HOME RULE POLICY
If the City Council wishes to impose any new taxes on any
person or property it must adhere to following guidelines:
Publish a summary of the proposed ordinance in a newspaper
Announce the pendency of the ordinance in at least two city
council meetings
Make the ordinance available at City Hall
Conduct a public hearing that will be announced in a
newspaper at least 7 days prior
City Council must review the minutes and testimony from the
public hearing before voting on the ordinance

15. So What Are The Cons of Home Rule?
Home Rule Municipalities do not have to adhere to the
property tax cap laws (PTELL)
Home Rule Municipalities are able to impose additional taxes
that are paid by both resident’s and non-resident’s

16. OUR HOME, OUR FUTURE…
Do we continue to operate under the status-quo and repeat
the past or do we move forward in a way to attract new
business, improve the quality of life for residents and reduce
our dependency on Cook County and Springfield?
Do we continue to keep the tax burden completely on
property owners and residents to provide essential services
or do we reduce dependency on property owners?
Do we continue to lose alternative sources of revenue,
valuable businesses, and tools to hold absentee landlords
accountable?

17. QUESTIONS?
Email:
info@ourhomeourfuture.com