In the Jan. 7 Wednesday Journal “Our Views” editorial in the Viewpoints section [“Oh, a poll referendum”] the editorial board comments on the plan to hold a voter referendum on a tax hike to support a new pool plan at Ridgeland Common.
The editorial board states that the Park District of Oak Park came up with “The out of the blue proposal” and “we feel some consternation over a stealth proposal that turned up unexpectedly on a mid-December park board agenda.”
The board goes on to say, “Now the district has just two months to make its case both for the necessity of an indoor pool and for the loss of an outdoor pool.”
Despite this unwarranted criticism of the park district, I would like to ask the Journal just how long it thinks it takes Oak Park voters to make up their minds on this issue — 90 days? 120 days? The eight years it has taken the Oak Park Village Board to come up with a plan for a new police station? The nine months and counting it has taken the River Forest Village Board to decide whether or not that village has term limits?
How about an acknowledgment that every month of delay adds to the cost of the project and thus the cost to Oak Park’s taxpayers should the referendum be approved?
Here are some not-so-random facts to consider that I found through a simple Google search:
In Canada, the election or campaign period must be at least 37 days and no more than 51 days, and election day must fall on a Monday, with certain limited exceptions.
In Great Britain, polling day takes place 25 working days after parliament is dissolved.
Article 12 of the French Constitution stipulates that in the event of a dissolution of the Assemblée Nationale, France’s lower house of Parliament, “general elections shall be held not less than 20 days and not more than 40 days” after the president’s decision.
Multiple countries throughout the world can change their entire governments in less than 60 days.
Unlike Wednesday Journal, I have the utmost faith in the voters of Oak Park that they are just as informed and smart as the voters of Canada, Great Britain and France and can make an informed and intelligent vote within 60 days as to whether or not they want an indoor pool to replace the existing outdoor pool.
Alan Krause
Oak Park