On your ballot, you will see an advisory referendum: “Shall the State of Illinois repeal laws that ban state investment in countries that boycott Israel?”
In his Oct. 20 One View, “Zoning belongs on ballot, pension policy does not,” Trustee James Taglia argues that voters should vote No on the advisory referendum and juxtaposes it with his support for a zoning referendum.
That contrast makes no sense.
Some background may be instructive: In May, when we began organizing our effort to put this question on the ballot, we sent a letter explaining our reasons to our state senators and representatives, Oak Park village trustees, and the village clerk.
The only negative response about conducting a ballot petition campaign came in emails from Trustee Taglia. That was surprising because, as the longest-serving board member, he would be designated to sit on the Oak Park Electoral Board to adjudicate any challenges to our petitions.
Long before anyone raised the possibility of a zoning referendum, Taglia had already made clear how he felt about this referendum being on the ballot.
Fast forward to Aug. 3. We filed 3,500 signatures, 175 percent of what was required. On Aug. 10, the petitions were challenged. At the August Election Board meeting, the village’s legal counsel advised the Election Board that the referendum met the legal criteria to be on the ballot. The board voted 2–1 to place it on the ballot. Taglia voted No.
Since then, the Election Board decision has faced additional legal challenges, and both the Cook County Circuit Court and the Illinois Court of Appeals have upheld the Electoral Board’s majority — not Taglia’s dissent. Still, Taglia insists that, despite the wishes of more than 3,500 of his constituents and decisions made by the election board and two Illinois courts, this is not a relevant referendum question for voters.
That is remarkable. Oak Parkers care deeply about free speech and human rights. We pay Illinois taxes that support the pension fund and have state pension recipients as neighbors and family members. Taglia need not agree with referendum proponents, but he should respect the validity of this issue to his constituents.
Oak Parkers for Free Speech
Steering Committee
