Batavia To Keep Its Home Rule Status

BATAVIA, IL --- Batavia residents have opted to keep the city's status as a home rule unit. More than 9,000 voters voted "no" to the question,"Shall the city of Batavia cease to be a home rule unit?"

The referendum question received a total of 9,160 "no" votes and 2,959 "yes" votes with 22 of 22 precincts reporting, according to Kane County election results.

As a home rule city, Batavia "may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs including, but not limited to, the power to regulate for the protection of the public health, safety, morals and welfare; to license; to tax; and to incur debt," according to the Illinois State Constitution.

Because of its home rule status, Batavia also has the authority to make decisions on a local level without the state, but can be limited when it comes to other preemptions that are exclusively governed by the state. Home rule units are generally able to exercise more control on such issues like taxing and other economic development needs, according to a post on the City of Batavia website.

The local taxes that fall under Batavia's home rule include a 2 percent liquor sales tax and a 1 percent local home rule sales tax. City officials assert that Batavia would have to depend on property tax increases to make up the difference in revenue without these home rule taxes.

There would have also been a limit placed on property tax levies if the city did not have home rule status, which could result in some services being cut, according to city officials.

In Illinois, home rule status can be adopted by referendum when a city has a population of more than 25,000 residents. Since home rule went into effect in 1971, only Lombard, Westmont, and Rockford have opted out of home rule status, according to the City of Batavia website.

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