In addition to selecting candidates, voters in west central Illinois and southeast Iowa will be deciding a number of other issues next week.
There is a surprising number of referenda on ballots in TSPR’s coverage area. Where normally there might be two or three, this year there are ten.
Sciota is a village of under 100 people in McDonough County. Voters there will decide whether to reduce the village board from six trustees to three.
In Warren County, the Monmouth city clerk is currently an elected position, but voters could change that.
City administrator Lew Steinbrecher said with the upcoming retirement of longtime clerk Susan Trevor, it’s a good time to look at making it an appointed role.
“I think it is an opportunity to make the clerk function within the city in a much more efficient and proficient manner. It also allows the city to recruit more qualified candidates for the position being appointed versus elected,” Steinbrecher said.
But the majority of referenda in the region are asking voters to approve tax increases or bond issues for school and municipal priorities.
Hancock County voters will decide on a 1-cent sales tax increase to benefit schools. The revenue would pay for facility improvements, school resource officers, and mental health services.
The West Prairie School District wants to build a vocational, ag, and science building and a new athletic field to the tune of $4 million. Parts of Hancock, Henderson, and McDonough county voters in that school district will decide if bonds should be issued.
The Seaton Fire Protection District — which covers parts of Warren, Henderson, and Mercer counties — is asking voters to decide on a tax levy increase that would fund ambulance service and other purposes.
In Lee County, Fort Madison voters will decide whether to issue $12 million in bonds or capital loan notes for a new fire station and emergency services building.
Carthage Township in Hancock County wants to levy more taxes to cover the costs of maintaining cemeteries.
In Astoria in Fulton County, a tax rate increase would pay for police protection for the town’s 900 or so residents.
And voters in tiny Cass Township in Fulton County have a big decision on their hands. They’re being asked whether the prohibition of alcohol sales should continue. Cass Township includes the village of Smithfield — and the unincorporated communities of Buckeye and Poverty Ridge.
Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from our readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.
