Kane County Voters: Local Referenda On Your Ballots

KANE COUNTY, IL — Voters in Kane County have been lining up at the polls, and will be presented with more options to think about than who will be the next governor or member of congress. Referenda will ask for feedback on tax increases, municipal projects, new facilities and other important issues.

Here's a breakdown of referenda questions on the November ballot:

• All Kane County residents will be asked if the county should oppose the Illinois General Assembly adding a one percent annual real estate tax on the fair market value of their property, in order to pay for state unfunded liabilities. The ballot question has confused many voters, who have wondered why the county board is asking about a nonexistent proposal.

SHALL KANE COUNTY OPPOSE THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY INSTITUTING A 1% ANNUAL REAL ESTATE TAXON THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY TO PAY STATE UNFUNDED LIABILITIES?

Harper CC 512:

• Voters in Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties will be asked about a proposition to issue $180 million in General Obligation Community College Bonds. The ballot will ask whether the Board of Trustees of William Rainey Harper Community College District No. 512 should acquire real property, begin renovations and add new buildings in the district and issue the bonds of the community college to an amount not to exceed $180 million. Harper College officials have been trying to gain community support for the campus upgrades.

Shall the Board of Trustees of William Rainey Harper Community College District No. 512, Counties of Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry and State of Illinois, acquire real property, build and equip new buildings, build and equip additions to and alter, equip, repair and renovate existing buildings of the District and issue the bonds of said Community College to an amount not to exceed $180,000,000 for said purposes?

Kaneville Township:

• Voters in this township will be asked about a proposition to authorize enhanced township authority for regulation of refuse collection and disposal:

Shall Kaneville Township, Kane County, Illinois, be authorized to exercise the powers of the "Township Refuse Collection and Disposal Act" (60 ILCS 1-210 et seq.) to enter into a contract for the collection, disposal, composting and recycling of garbage, refuse and ashes for residents of the unincorporated areas of Kaneville Township?

Pingree Grove & Country Side Fire District:

• The ballot will ask about a proposition to issue $8,500,000 in general obligation bonds to build and equip two new fire stations:

Shall the Pingree Grove and Countryside Fire Protection District, Kane County, Illinois, build and equip two new fire stations and issue its bonds to the amount of $8,500,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?

Hampshire Fire District:

• Voters will be asked about a proposition to create a new tax rate for emergency and rescue fund purposes:

Shall the Hampshire Fire Protection District, Kane and DeKalb Counties, Illinois, be authorized to levy a new tax for emergency and rescue crews and equipment purposes and have an additional tax of .10% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein extended for such purposes?(1) The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recently extended limiting rate is $1,611,202, and the approximate amount of taxes extendable if the proposition is approved is $1,847,123.|(2) For the 2018 levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single-family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $33.33.

Fox River & Countryside Fire Rescue District:

• The ballot will include a question asking whether the property tax extension limitation for the Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District (Kane and DuPage Counties) should be increased from under 5 percent, or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to 60 percent per year for the 2018 levy year.

**Note: for the 2018 levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $53.00.

Shall the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District, Kane and DuPage Counties, Illinois, be increased from the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to 60% per year for the 2018 levy year?

City of Batavia:

• Residents here will be asked if the City of Batavia should cease to be a home rule unit. Petitions have been circulating to to take away the city's home-rule power, which it gained after it grew past a population of 25,000 in 2011.

Shall the City of Batavia cease to be a home rule unit?

Blackberry Township Road District:

• Voters will be asked if the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the district should be increased by 0.08 percent above the limiting rate for road district purposes for levy year 2017 and be equal to 0.25833 percent of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property for the 2018 levy year.

Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Blackberry Township Road District, Kane County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.08% above the limiting rate for road district purposes for levy year 2017 and be equal to 0.25833% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2018? Details: The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recent extended limiting rate is $1,007,240, and the approximate amount of taxes extendable if the proposition is approved is $1,459,094.|(2) For the 2018 levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single-family residence and having a fair market value at the time of referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $26.67.|(3) If the proposition is approved, the aggregate extension for 2018 will be determined by the limiting rate set forth in the proposition, rather than the otherwise applicable limiting rate calculated under the provisions of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law commonly known as the Property Tax Cap Law.

Batavia Public Library District:

• Voters will be asked about a proposition to increase the limiting rate:

Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Batavia Public Library District, Kane and DuPage Counties, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.07% above the limiting rate for library purposes for levy year 2017 and be equal to 0.440060% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2018?|(1) The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recently extended limiting rate is $3,501,606.62, and the approximate amount of taxes extendable if the proposition is approved is $4,163,965.33.|(2) For the 2018 levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $23.33.|(3) If the proposition is approved, the aggregate extension for 2018 will be determined by the limiting rate set forth in the proposition, rather than the otherwise applicable limiting rate calculated under the provisions of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law commonly known as the Property Tax Cap Law.

Voting Information

The polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, and close at 7 p.m. Some FAQs:
Where do I vote? If you're not sure where to vote, you can find your polling place here.
What's on the ballot? Find your Kane County sample ballot here.
What if I'm not registered to vote? Is it too late? No, it's not. Illinois is one of a handful of states that allow same-day registration on Election Day. Just take two forms of identification (both must have your name, and one must show your current address) to your voting precinct to register and cast your ballot.
What if I don't have a ride to the polls? Uber and Lyft are offering Election Day deals and potential freebies. Lyft said it's offering 50 percent off rides across the country Tuesday. Visit BuzzFeed to access a Lyft promo code. Uber is working with #VoteTogether and Democracy Works to provide free rides in areas where transportation to the polls is hard to come by as part of its "Uber Drives the Vote" promotion. Uber also is offering $10 off a single ride to the polls on Election Day for the Uber Express Pool, which could mean a free ride depending on how far you have to go. To get the deal, riders must have the most updated version of the Uber app. Then enter the promotional code VOTE2018 in your app. (Tap Menu > Payment > Add Promo Code).
Remember: You cannot vote online in Illinois (or anywhere else in the U.S., for that matter), and anyone who says otherwise is lying.

Know your voting rights
If you're already registered to vote, you do not need to show your ID in order to cast your ballot — you only need to state your name and address. However, there are limited circumstances in which a voter can be asked for identification, including those who are registering on Election Day, and those voting for the first time after registering by mail. But even in those instances, a voter without ID may cast a provisional ballot, according to the ACLU of Illinois.

People with criminal records in Illinois — including felonies — are eligible to vote once they have completed their sentences (but should re-register to vote upon their release). That includes people who are on probation or parole. Those who have been arrested or charged with a crime but not convicted can also vote, including many of those being held in county jail.

More Illinois voting info: Everything To Know About The Illinois 2018 Midterm Elections

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