Some Lake Co. voters face 4 questions

Some voters complain when they have to decide on one referendum question on the ballot.

Imagine how 500 voters on Volo's north side will feel when they open their Feb. 5 ballot and see four questions.

Just up the road in south Fox Lake, another 500 voters will see three of those same questions on their ballots.

"It does bother me," Teresa Arpino of Volo said. "It's just so much at once. The taxing bodies should have done it gradually instead of all at one time."

Of those referendum questions, three affect tax rates. The only one that doesn't is Volo's home rule question.

J. Thomas Johnson, president of the Taxpayers Federation of Illinois, said he believes multiple referendums on one ballot could face voter backlash.

"When four units of local government are asking for tax rate increases or other things like home rule, then it's more difficult for voters to vote 'yes' to any of them," Johnson said. "People start to get confused on which referendum is good or bad, making it easier to say 'no' to everything."

The four ballot questions in north Volo are:

• Big Hollow Elementary District 38 asking for a 54-cent tax rate increase per $100 equalized assessed valuation to obtain a $10 million working cash bond to fund education.

• Fox Lake Library seeking a 12-cent tax rate increase per $100 equalized assessed valuation to build a new $15 million facility.

• Grant High School District 124 asking voter permission to issue $38.5 million in bonds to buy land, build an addition and renovate the Fox Lake-area high school. If approved, the current tax rate would not change; if rejected, the owner of a $200,000 house would see taxes fall $132 next year.

• Volo asking voters to grant it home rule. If approved, the board would then increase the sales tax from 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent to fix roads and intersections.

Voters in south Fox Lake and Ingleside will decide the two school district referendum questions and the library question.

If the three tax rate proposals are approved, the owner of a $200,000 house would see property taxes rise about $450 next year.

Arpino said she understands the needs each taxing body has. She voted early and admitted supporting some proposals, but not others.

"They are just springing it on us all at once and it's really the wrong time to put out a referendum," she said.

That situation is difficult to avoid, said Fox Lake Library Director Harry Bork.

"With the planning involved in something like this, it's impossible for us or any other district to wait and see who is seeking referendum or not," Bork said. "I mean, we could wait a little bit and hope no other districts are on the ballot, but even then it wouldn't be a sure thing."

While four referendums may be hard for taxpayers to swallow, Johnson said the measures can pass.

Referendum committees need to work hard to educate voters about the ballot issues.

"If a taxpayer feels they understand the issue and it's to the betterment of the community, they'll vote yes," he said. "But if even one of these committees do not educate the voters clearly enough, it could hurt them all. People will just get upset and punch no."

Officials heading Grant High School's referendum effort said they hope voters take the time to learn about the ballot issues and not make an emotional decision.

"There is definitely a certain mindset out there that they just would just have enough and punch no on everything," said Grant referendum committee member Paul Jakstas. "But, if people read the ballot and notice the signs around town, they'll see ours isn't a tax rate increase."

Volo resident Sue Martens agreed voters must understand the ballot issues before going to the polls.

"I definitely want to know what I'm voting for," she said. "I wouldn't just punch no because there are a lot of referendums. But I do understand there are people out there who are too busy in life and would just do that. It's a shame, though; people should be involved."

Multiple referendums

North side of Volo

Number of referendums: four (Big Hollow Elementary District 38, Grant High School District 124, Fox Lake Library District, Village of Volo)

Voters: About 500

Where: Portions of precincts 133 and 136, on the southwest side of Nippersink Drive in Volo.

South side of Fox Lake and Ingleside

Number of referendums: three (Big Hollow Elementary District 38, Grant High School District 124, Fox Lake Library District)

Voters: About 500

Where: All voters living in District 38, except Avon Township precinct 35, which is not in the Fox Lake Library District.