Defeated ballot questions likely to return

The motto for referendums in DuPage County could easily be "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

With a broad brush Tuesday, county voters turned down any question presented to them. But on Wednesday, officials in multiple jurisdictions said it's likely the electorate will see those same - or similar - questions again.

Winfield Township Highway Supervisor Joe Jedlovec said the election "doesn't change anything."

"We still need the money," he said.

Township officials asked voters for a 2-cent tax-rate increase to pave and maintain roads. It's the same question they've asked repeatedly since the 1990s - and that voters.

While Jedlovec said he may skip an election cycle or two before going back to the voters, the request will appear again on a future ballot.

"When is the question," Jedlovec said. "We hope the economy gets better."

The economy was tagged as the main culprit in the defeat of multiple questions.

Lisle Park District Director Dan Garvey said overwhelming feedback he received from voters had to do with timing, specifically of the recently economic woes.

"Ninety-five percent of those who spoke to us said, 'Don't ask us at this time,'" Garvey said.

Park officials asked for approval to take a $21.9 million loan to build a new, expanded community center.

The Villa Park Library also made a building request. Officials spent the two and a half years studying ways to expand the library's offerings and services. The recommendation was to build a new $24.9 million library.

Voters weren't interested and soundly rejected the plan.

That doesn't mean the proposal is dead. It just might be modified, said Sandy Hill, the library's director.

"The need is not going to go away," she said.

"The community said there is interest in doing something, but delaying the cost a year is an additional 6 percent in costs," Hill added. "It's either going to be more cost or less building. We may have to look at a building addition."

That's not an option for officials in Bensenville Elementary District 2. Their plan is to replace four aging schools with new ones - and they're sticking to it.

"Our buildings are deteriorating every day, and we keep throwing money at them," school board President Patty Reyes said. "There are things we're just putting a Band-Aid on."

This time, officials ran a sort of stealth campaign, doing little to actually promote the question and hoping word-of-mouth spread the need.

"We'll have to decide if we want to continue with a low-key campaign or have a committee step up to the plate to promote it," Reyes said.

The issue of whether to present the question again is moot.

"It has to be done," she said. "We need to do something with our buildings."