What can you do with home rule?

What local governments in home rule communities can do without approval of local voters or the state legislature.

Fiscal

Raise property taxes more than set by tax cap.

Sell bonds up to 40 years.

Spend hotel/motel taxes on general city costs, not just promoting tourism.

Enact taxes on goods and services including sales taxes, motor fuel (gas), utilities, hotels, restaurants, and alcohol. (Some of these taxes are available to non home rule communities, often with more restrictions).

Greater latitude for assessing impact fees on development

Regulations

Add rules such as punishing parents for hosting underage drinking parties, even if authorities can’t prove which teens had the open bottles of beer.

Assess higher fines for violating ordinances.

Adopt housing code provisions such as inspections of rental homes.

Limit size of infill homes to preserve character of neighborhoods.

Development

Establish districts with special zoning to achieve development goals.

Enter into development agreements.

Negotiate tax concessions.

Make loans to homeowners to improve properties.

Purchase properties in blighted commercial districts.

Sources: Policy Profiles/Center for Governmental Studies/Northern Illinois University; Larry Frang, executive director, Illinois Municipal League; Citizen Advocacy Center.