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FOREST LEAVES — Sept. 21, 2005

Paris shifts home rule focus from District 90

BY HOLLY M. ANDERSON
STAFF WRITER

Village President Frank Paris has changed the reason behind his interest in seeking a referendum to grant home rule authority for River Forest.

Paris first pitched the idea as a way to aid Elementary School District 90 by raising the village sales taxes. But he announced Sept. 12 that future home rule discussions will not focus on the schools.

Paris said Friday he's met with District 90 School Board president David Gregg, who requested the village not put home rule on the same ballot the schools will seek a property tax hike of their own. District officials are considering their referendum on the March 21 ballot.

Paris said he will be considerate of Gregg's request.

"We will work with the School Board," the village president said. "Members of the School Board had asked that we not seek a ballot question at the same time and we probably would pick a date satisfactory to them.

"The school district is in a crisis. They have a huge deficit and funding will be gone soon," he added.

But despite his shift in focus, Paris said he has no plans to scrap pursuing home rule, which grants broad authority to hike existing taxes and create new ones.

"The Village Board will consider home rule separately, regardless of what the school district might or might not do."

Trustee Al Swanson on Sept. 12 asked Paris if that means the school district would not be in line for any added village sales tax revenue collected under home rule. Paris confirmed they would not. Paris said Friday: "I stand ready to be asked for funding from the schools. My current opinion might not be the same opinion in a month. We're in an information gathering stage right now. The concept of home rule is new to a lot of board members."

Whether new village revenue is funneled to the schools, Paris maintains his purpose for seeking home rule is to reduce local services' reliance on property tax revenue.

"My principal reason is to reduce property taxes, by shifting some of burden to sales tax," he said.

The Village has planned a series of public forums about home rule. The first meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Sept. 29 Room 206 of the River Forest Community Center, at 8020 Madison St.. Two attorneys will debate home rule and answer questions from the public. Later sessions are set at the same location for 7 p.m. on Oct. 26 and Nov. 16.