The Geneva City Council has been researching the possible benefits of Home Rule for the City of Geneva. On June 14, 2005 Dr. James Banovetz, Professor Emeritus at Northern Illinois University's Center for Governmental Studies and an expert in local government presented facts regarding his research relative to home rule communities. The meeting was attended by the City Council, City staff, and citizens. All in attendance were given a booklet of information about Home Rule and a copy of Dr. Banovetz's presentation.

What is Home Rule?

Home rule is a term which was given to a concept created to provide units of local government with an increased means of local control. The theory behind home rule was that some problems are inherently local in nature and, thus, are better dealt with at the local level since a "one-size fits all" state legislative solution couldn't possibly foresee problems which are uniquely local in nature. The creation of home rule was triggered by the increasing urbanization and complexity of society. As municipalities became larger and less rural, they
desired governmental independence and the ability to deal with local problems at the local level. What home rule does is to reverse what is commonly known as "Dillon’s Rule." "Dillon’s Rule" stands for the proposition that in order for a municipality to be able to act or legislate in a given area, it must point to statutory authority to act or its actions must be necessarily implied from a given statute. Thus, prior to home rule, municipalities had to point to a specific statute in order to act.

How Does a Municipality Become Home Rule?

By reaching a population of 25,000 or by referendum

Do Home Rule Communities Levy More Property Taxes?

An examination of the record does not support opponents’ claims. Several scholarly studies have been made of the use of property taxes in home rule cities and villages during the 32 years since home rule first became available to Illinois cities and villages. A just completed survey of Illinois home rule communities found that home rule communities are less dependent on property taxes for their revenues than are non-home rule communities. On average, according to annual surveys published by the Office of the Illinois Comptroller, cities and villages derive 25-30 percent of the revenues from property taxes. The 2002 survey of Illinois home rule communities found that, on average, home rule communities derived 10 to 20 percent of their revenue from property taxes, depending upon their population and geographic location.

Available evidence also suggests that voters in Illinois home rule communities do not believe that home rule has led to undesirable rates of taxation. Voters in all home rule communities have the option to stop home rule tax levies by voting home rule out. And, indeed, in the last 32 years, home rule opponents have succeeded 29 times in placing the elimination of home rule on the ballot in a home rule community. Most of the resulting election campaigns were fought on the issue of whether taxes, and especially property taxes, were being misused. Voters approved the retention of home rule powers in 25 of these 29 elections, or 83 per cent.