Could Barrington go home rule?

Barrington village board members listened Monday as Village Manager Scott Anderson outlined the advantages of home rule.

Whether trustees will take up the banner remains to be seen.

The village board would have to decide by Aug. 22 to put the question to voters on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Such surrounding communities as Barrington Hills, Lake Barrington and South Barrington have voted to become home rule.

Anderson's presentation was intended to highlight the differences between communities with home rule and those without, the additional tools it would provide the village, and the process for attaining home-rule status.

"Simply stated, home rule gives municipalities greater authority to govern themselves," said Anderson, adding that the village would have greater flexibility in day-to-day operations.

Anderson pointed out that Barrington is providing a full complement of services, including police and fire protection, water delivery, waste treatment, snow plowing and street maintenance.

"We have the responsibility for covering not only the operating day-to-day costs, but the long term capital costs and employer costs related to pensions," he said. "And while we have the benefit of tailoring our services to what our customers need, we have the expenses related to that."

He said home rule would allow the village to diversify its sources of revenue and rely less on property taxes.

In turn, he said, this would give Barrington the ability to fix more roads and sidewalks and address more drainage improvements.

"The bulk of the people that use our roads are nonresidents driving through and enjoying the shopping and retail experience," he said.

New revenues could be generated from those nonresidents through a sales tax to help pay for infrastructure.

"Home-rule communities are better able to control their own destinies going forward," he said.

Anderson also said home-rule communities are more likely to attain AAA credit rating status, which would mean the village could borrow at lower rates.

"We're one stutter step away from that AAA, so we're doing the right things, our financial house is in order," he said. "This really takes us to the next step."

In addition, home-rule communities have greater flexibility in terms of raising or lowering the property tax rate, he said.