Neighbors willing to end home rule

I live in Wonder Lake, and yes, I have been advocating to end home rule in East Dundee. The village has stressed to residents that "it's not right" or "it's not fair" that people who don't live in East Dundee put the repeal issue on the ballot.

Yes, we collected petition signatures. Yes, we held an information session. Yes, we made phone calls. Yes, we have attended the workshops. Yes, we are handing out flyers. Yes, we are going door to door.

You know what else isn't right? The village retaliating against residents who don't support the village's views.

We have had residents come to us and thank us for volunteering our time, effort and money to ending home rule in East Dundee. Residents who cannot join the cause themselves because of fear of threats and retaliation.

So if you are on the fence about voting to repeal home rule, know that you have neighbors who will vote yes, neighbors who are afraid of what will happen if they speak up.

Your neighbors are willing to take a tax hike in the interim while sales taxes are reinstated through elections. Your neighbors know the village has options to cover the bond payment other than raising property taxes 300 percent. Your neighbors know that despite the hit they will take initially, they want to end home rule so residents can once again regain control of the village.

East Dundee has not been responsible with home rule status. Your neighbors know this.

According to the most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports available on each village's websites:

Carpentersville - debt $90,931,436; population 38,291; debt per resident $2,374.75

West Dundee - debt $30,459,954; population 7,361; debt per resident $4,138.02

East Dundee - debt $33,014,603; population 3,182; debt per resident $10,474.18

Kelly Liebmann

Wonder Lake