Home Rule Rejected In Homewood

HOMEWOOD, IL - Voters in Homewood overwhelmingly decided against becoming a home-rule community on Election Day. With all precincts reporting, the measure failed 4,321 to 1,842, according to the Cook County Clerk's Office.

The Homewood Village Board decided in late 2017 to place the question on the ballot this year. Groups both in favor and against the possibility organized in recent weeks as signs have gone up in the front yards of homes and in other areas throughout the village.

Home rule allows villages to self-govern and for officials to address local issues at a local level. It gives more governing power to local officials. In Homewood, that would be the village president and six trustees. The village of Homewood remained neutral on the subject.

That's one of the reasons why Debbie Hart was part of the movement to ask residents to vote "no."

"I don't support home rule because it takes power and control from the citizens of Homewood and gives it to six trustees and the village president — those in office now and those we elect in the future," Hart said. "Home rule takes away the residents' right to vote on tax and debt issues."