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Officials to ask for home-rule authority
By
Robert Sanchez, Daily Herald Staff Writer With their city facing an $800,000 budget deficit, Oakbrook Terrace voters are being asked to give town officials the power to free up the way hotel tax dollars are spent. The voters will consider a Nov. 5 ballot question that would give the city home-rule powers, which give local officials more power to make laws and impose taxes. Town leaders say home rule is needed because it would let them spend hotel tax dollars on employee salaries and much-needed capital projects. If the ballot question is approved, Oakbrook Terrace's city council could tap into roughly $1.2 million in taxes the city collects each year from visitors to seven local hotels. Without home rule, the state requires the money be spent promoting local tourism and hotel use. With home rule, the city can spend the cash any way it sees fit. Oakbrook Terrace now spends $125,000 a year to host the Miss Illinois pageant, and another $200,000 a year to advertise its hotels. But the remaining tourism money goes unspent. Meanwhile, Mayor Thomas Mazaika said an
$800,000 budget deficit has already forced city officials to spend town
reserves. If the home-rule proposal fails, Mazaika warns, aldermen may need
to consider laying off city workers and cutting services to reduce spending.
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