The Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) used RVOICE funds to do voter outreach on three municipal referenda on the March 18 Primary Election ballot. IAR was successful in all three. Two were Home Rule referenda — in Rochester (Sangamon County) and Merrionette Park (Cook County) — and voters overwhelmingly rejected the question, agreeing with the IAR position.
- Rochester Home Rule: 23% YES 77% NO
- Merrionette Park Home Rule: 25% YES 75% NO
In the past, Home Rule units have enacted several ordinances on point-of-sale inspections and transfer fees/taxes, and a host of landlord regulations, just to name a few.
In Franklin Park (Cook County), voters approved a municipal sales tax. Since Franklin Park is not Home Rule, it must seek voter approval to enact a sales tax. Local REALTORS® supported the measure in order to help keep the property tax levy constant in future years and to fund the improvement of aging streets in the village.
- Franklin Park Sales Tax 63% YES 37% NO
RVOICE sent direct mail and did automated phone calls to likely voters in these campaigns.