W. Chicago gets home-rule status

By Harry Hitzeman Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Friday, June 18, 2004

A special census has confirmed West Chicago now has more than 25,000 people and is therefore a "home-rule" community.

City officials say they plan to use their new home-rule powers to inspect rental property before new tenants move in and increase regulation of some businesses, such as temporary employment agencies.

"We have many things in place, but until we became a home-rule community, we didn't have any teeth (to enforce them)," said City Administrator Michael Guttman.

But officials say they have no immediate plans to enact a local sales tax - one of the other perks of home-rule status and a reason it can be controversial.

In Illinois, communities automatically receive home-rule status after they top 25,000 residents.

This week, the U.S. Department of Commerce informed city leaders of their new, official population: 25,573.

Home-rule status allows municipalities to charge additional taxes and to exceed the property tax cap, which holds levy increases to the rate of inflation or 5 percent, whichever is less.

Mayor Michael Fortner said he wants to use home-rule powers to draw up stricter regulations for "day labor" agencies that some say exploit immigrant labor for factories.

"That's an area where people have been concerned how things are run," he said. "Right now, we're very limited in what kind of businesses we can license. Home-rule communities have a freer hand."

Bad working conditions and exploitation were issues raised at a meeting held by Latinos Organized for Justice this week.

The city also could create a rental inspection program to make sure apartments are safe and up to city codes before new tenants move in.

A similar inspection program can be created if the city enacts a real estate transfer tax. If the tax is enacted, the city can keep better tabs on home sales and conduct its own inspection to verify projects have been performed according to code.

"We can ensure the living conditions are safe for new residents," Fortner said.

But having home-rule status doesn't automatically allow the city to establish a real estate transfer tax. Voters first must OK a ballot question.

The next date that could happen is the Nov. 2 general election, but city leaders haven't discussed it yet.

The council must vote on or before Aug. 30 if it wants to place the question on the ballot for Nov. 2, said Chuck Hinds, a deputy supervisor at the DuPage Election Commission.

Fortner said the new census results will give the city a greater share of funding that is based on population. For example, Illinois distributes income tax money and motor fuel tax dollars to communities based on their population.

Guttman stressed the city will use its home-rule power to regulate.

"There is no question there could be some financial benefits, but that has not been the driving force," he said.

The city council's finance committee is tentatively slated to discuss the city's next step on July 22.

Alderman Nancy Kifer Assian said she supported the census because it reflects a more accurate count of residents, which will help the city receive more respect and "its fair share" of population-based funding.

Assian is still studying the city's new home-rule powers. However, she doesn't want home rule to be used to circumvent the tax cap.

"I don't want to raise taxes that way," she said. "It's not a blank check."

City leaders ordered the $39,000 census last July. The 2000 U.S. Census showed the city with 23,469 people.

The 2000 census showed the city's population grew by more than 50 percent since 1990, making it the fastest-growing town in DuPage County.