DuPage voters to decide long list of referendum questions

Voters in DuPage County on Tuesday will weigh in on more than two dozen referendum questions dealing with issues ranging from a proposed indoor aquatic center in Glen Ellyn to road repairs in Villa Park.

Here's a look at some of the biggest questions on the ballot:

Villa Park roads

One of the largest funding requests is in Villa Park, where officials are seeking permission to borrow $23 million to pay for road repairs.

Supporters say the village doesn't generate enough sales tax and motor fuel tax revenue to fix its 74 miles of streets on a desired a 14-year maintenance cycle.

If voters approve the ballot question, the village will use the $23 million to rebuild some of the worst streets while keeping up with others before they deteriorate. The owner of a $200,000 home would pay about $146 a year more to the village for 20 years.

Glen Ellyn pool

Glen Ellyn Park District voters will be deciding whether they want to build an indoor aquatic center.

The district is seeking permission to borrow $13.5 million to build and equip the proposed facility, which would be attached to the Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center at 800 St. Charles Road.

If voters approve the measure, park district property taxes would remain the same because the cost of the project would replace a portion of the tax levy that's set to expire. If the ballot question is rejected, the park district's share of the property tax bill would decrease.

Butterfield parks

Voters in Butterfield Park District are being asked to help pay for a plan to stop development of a former gas station site near Glen Ellyn.

The district wants to purchase the roughly 2.4-acre site so it can be used for open space, trails, gardens, a nature-based playground, a park shelter and passive recreation areas.

But to buy and improve the site on the northeast corner of Butterfield Road and Route 53, the district needs voter approval to borrow nearly $3 million.

The park district has the chance to buy the land for $1.5 million because it's participating in the Conservation Foundation's "buy and hold" program. As part of the program, the Naperville-based organization purchases a parcel for an agency and then holds it for one to two years until the agency can buy it.

The Conservation Foundation got involved because a company wanted to acquire the property and construct a gas station with a car wash and a convenience store.

If the ballot question is approved, the owner of a $200,000 house would pay about $54 a year more to the park district for 20 years.

O'Hare noise

When it comes to advisory questions, 11 of those on Tuesday ballots will deal with the same topic: airplane noise from O'Hare International Airport.

Since the completion of a new runway last October, O'Hare air traffic has shifted to an east/west flow instead of multiple directions. As a result, residents in Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Itasca and Wood Dale are complaining about increased jet noise.

Each of those towns has two or three questions related to O'Hare noise on its ballot. All four municipalities, for example, are asking if airlines should be required to reduce flight noise during overnight and early morning hours.

Hinsdale schools

Hinsdale High School District 86 recently signed a new contract with its teachers that, in part, decreases end-of-career pay raises for teachers. Still, voters are being asked to give their opinion about such end-of-career raises.

District 86 includes students from Hinsdale, Darien, Clarendon Hills, Burr Ridge, Oak Brook, Westmont and Willowbrook who attend Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South.