Local Elections

Tuesday, April 4^th was election day throughout Illinois. Countless school funding referenda were considered by voters, as well as board and trustee members of many fire, library and park districts. School boards were also subject to elections. Mayors, city and town councils and other municipal positions were elected. In all the local government institutions were in full view of the electorate. Campaigns for elected office and referenda were waged. Public attention was begged and engaged.

The result? Far too many elections experienced low turnout. Social critics will often cast aspersions on local office holders when in truth these are the front line of our governance structure. For the most part it is an institutional strength of municipalities and local institutions. There will always be the sour notes lifted up over transparency when such is automatically available to anyone who visits city hall and asks questions.

Of course this requires a person to have a question in mind, and then research it and work it out in detail if you are to be fully informed on the specific issue. Or you can attend the city council meetings and maintain current knowledge on all matters related to the town. Elected officials and city staff will gladly meet with you and discuss the issues most on your mind. Local press outlets usually have a solid ear and eye on these matters as well, but then local press is dwindling along with the fourth estate throughout the nation.

To be an informed voter these days takes a little work. But it takes cooperation and an open mind as well. Addressing an issue with a preconceived notion does you no good or other citizens, too. Only gossip and anecdotal stories result from such sloppy work.

In our area a well respected mayor retained his seat. He is a leader in the county and region as well, studying the issues carefully, researching problems in depth, comparing notes with other municipalities, and asking for expert opinion and insight from those in the know at area universities, state offices of oversight, and city staff, of course. The city council was reconstituted with no surprises except one. Talented citizens stepping up to be counted nearly upset a long standing city councilman. Maybe next time she will prevail.

Local schools requested $132 million in construction and maintenance funding, essentially a mortgage with a long-term payoff with an aim to tear down one school and replace it, plus building maintenance concerns over roofs, heating, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing issues. The request was denied 52% to 48%; fairly narrow decision for such a large amount of money.

In another town a new candidate for the library board pledged to question every dollar budgeted with a mind toward reducing the tax levy. He won although the library is reasonably funded and working hard to meet the needs of a highly diverse population. Maybe fresh attention to the funding question will actually benefit the community when they realize what they already have and what it takes to improve it.

Still another community has a cliff hanger election for Mayor where the incumbent staged a fall 2016 campaign fund raiser for Mr. Trump; seems the municipality overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton in the presidential election and so his leadership of the city is in question.

Local investment in culture, governance and infrastructure is alive and well in the western suburbs of Chicago. The electorate generally votes knowledgeably but there are large exceptions. Too bad the issues closest to home are often the most overlooked by voters. This is in counterpoint to national and state elections in which voters have little actual say in what gets done by those running for office and actually win elections. To understand this just gaze upon the Illinois State Legislature which refuses to solve its budgeting problems, pension funding debacle and crumbling infrastructure. A travesty in the making for decades and now extending on toward another decade. How very sad this is.

But Congress is not much better. Why beg this question? Much is yet to develop regarding leadership change nationally and impeachment proceedings are sure to follow in a few months. Whether successful or not, the process will function as it should. And the voters will get another civics lesson.

The most important lesson, however, is voting with a prepared mind on all the issues that truly matter. It’s the job of each of us; all that’s left is our doing that job.

April 6, 2017