Bloomingdale Township voters leaning against advisory question

A nonbinding ballot question on whether Bloomingdale Township should beef up traffic enforcement was in limbo late Tuesday.

With 19 of 43 precincts reporting, unofficial totals showed 716 votes against and 586 votes in favor of an advisory question that asked voters if the township should increase its special police district property tax levy.

The township has long had the special police district to pay for a DuPage County sheriff's deputy, who is assigned to patrol unincorporated neighborhoods. The deputy is in addition to the regular patrols by the sheriff's office.

Only the owners of unincorporated parcels pay for the additional deputy.

Now township officials want a second deputy assigned to the township to help address traffic safety issues. While the township has the authority to increase the levy without voter approval, Supervisor Michael Hovde Jr. said "the board felt that the people should vote on the tax increase."