Du Page County decision-makers on Tuesday voted to give voters the last word on a small borrowing plan for open lands projects, but moved forward with the paperwork for a quick $182 million bond sale in time to beat the Oct. 1 deadline that would mandate a referendum.
During a special meeting of the Forest Preserve Commission, members agreed to put a $5 million bond issue for buying land to referendum on the November ballot.
At the earlier, regular meeting of the Du Page County Board, made up of the same members, routine approval was given to pay the law firm that is advising the board on going through with the biggest bond issue in County Board history.
That action came as the battle heated up between board members who are involved in cranking up a petition drive to force some or all of three bond issue items to the voters as well, and those opposing the ambitious effort.
Short of a change of heart by a majority of the board, the petition drive stands as the only possible stumbling block to the borrowing plan. By collecting 75,000 valid signatures by Sept. 16, the petitioners could force the issue to the ballot in the March primary.
In the meantime, county staff members and the advising law firm, Chapman & Cutler of Chicago, are going ahead with the preparation of documents for board review early next month. The board on Tuesday approved a purchase order not to exceed $128,500 to pay for those legal services.
Three board members, Carl Roth, Michael Formento and Patricia Trowbridge, also announced they will hold a press conference Thursday to reiterate their support for issuing the bonds without referendum.
”The voters have said, `Don`t raise the property tax,` and we`re responding to that” with the bond issue, Roth said Tuesday. If road bonds in the proposed amount of $65 million are sold, the highway department will do away with its property tax levy and free up about $11 million to absorb increases elsewhere in the county budget.
”The issue of the elimination of the property tax to pay for roads responds to what the voters have asked us to do,” Roth said. ”If the petition drive prevails, the question would be put to the voters in March and it would be too late to consider an abatement.”
On Monday, five other board members along with several citizens` groups publicly launched a drive to collect signatures for petitions that would call for sepearate referendums on the road package, $69 million in bonds for flood control, and $48 million to build an addition to the county jail.
Organizers claimed Tuesday that they have 500 petitions in circulation. They have set a goal of 150,000 signatures, twice the number needed to force referendums.
Now that they have decided to put the forest preserve bond issue for unspecified projects to referendum, commission supporters of the plan face the task of generating voter support.
”I believe that this is the right thing to do,” member Carolyn Kulie said. ”I feel that voting for these bonds for land acquisition along three waterways is extremely important. We have a lot of work to do over there (to prevent) flooding.”
