Referendum questions on issues such as fire protection and boosting state funding for schools were on the ballot in the south and southwest suburbs.
Lemont Fire District
Voters in the Lemont Fire Protection District appear to have approved a plan to sell $46 million in bonds to relocate two of the district’s four fire stations and renovate two of them, with hopes of reducing emergency response times.
With all precincts counted, the referendum had 61% support from voters in Will and Cook counties, according to unofficial results.
The referendum is a response to population growth within the district, as well as a shifting population that has driven up response times, said district fire Chief Dan Tasso.
The district covers 26 square miles and responds to calls in Lemont, Lemont Township and portions of Darien, Palos Park and Woodridge. The district’s boundaries also extend into three counties: Cook, DuPage and Will.
University Park
University Park may get a park district. Unofficial totals show nearly 56% of voters supported a referendum asking if they wanted to create a park district with a levy not to exceed $800,000 in its first fiscal year. In 2022, the measure ended in a tie, causing the referendum to fail.
Worth Township
Worth Township residents apparently approved abolishing the township road district. With all but two of 82 precincts counted, 58% of voters supported instead having maintenance and control of those roads fall under the township board’s jurisdiction.
Thornton
In Thornton, voters appear to have approved a referendum calling for a village ordinance allowing and regulating the keeping of backyard chickens.
With both precincts in the village reporting, the referendum had support of 52.6% of voters, according to unofficial results.
Property taxes
Voters in Burnham, Crestwood, Posen, Riverdale, Robbins, South Chicago Heights and Tinley Park asked voters whether they think Illinois should increase state funding for schools, which would lead to lower property taxes and reduce the financial burden on homeowners and taxpayers.
Summit Hill District 61
Voters in Summit Hill Elementary District 161 overwhelming said they did not support the process the School Board used to close two schools, Arbury Hills Elementary School in Mokena and Frankfort Square Elementary School in Frankfort, without providing a tax break.
The nonbinding ballot question, put on the ballot by petition of residents, asked whether voters approved of the process the district used to close the schools without corresponding reduction in the property tax levy.
With 80% of precincts in, nearly 87% of voters said they did approve of the process.
