Jim Day | Lower-level local races will say a lot about voter perception | Columns

The end couldn’t come soon enough.

The rage, pain, grief, disgust and disappointment continued. But enough about the Fighting Illini’s disastrous trip to Oregon last weekend.

Elections will take place on Tuesday, which may highlight Maybe – decrease Sturm and Drang (storm and stress) associated with the presidential race.

But there’s more to it than just the top of the ticket. Several contests raise interesting questions about voter opinion.

In no particular order, there are proposed tax increases requiring voter approval, former Gov. Pat Quinn’s statewide property tax advisory referendum and the ugly race in the 104th Illinois House District once represented by Danville Republican Mike Marrone.

The public is tired of rising property taxes. At the same time, they play a huge role in funding local government, especially schools.

So what will happen in Mahomet, where the school board is again asking voters to approve a big tax increase? If past is prologue, the proposal will be rejected. But proponents of tax hikes have had months to campaign against the lack of formal opposition other than public reluctance to pay more.

There is another proposal for a significant property tax increase from a government agency that many people don’t even know exists: the City of Champaign.

The village government is a relic of the agrarian society that dominated more than 100 years ago. This is evidence that the state structure has eternal life.

Township Supervisor-designate Kyle Patterson hopes voters will approve his proposed 400 percent property tax increase to fund social services. It doesn’t look like a winner, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Finally, the Champaign County Council is proposing a quarter-cent sales tax increase, ostensibly for the sake of public safety. But since money is fungible, it really isn’t.

This contest has become a dirty fight, with some Democrats on one side and some Democrats on the other. An increase of a quarter of a cent isn’t much. But when voters are allowed to veto tax increases—any increase—they often do so.

If it goes down, look for proponents of raising the sales tax to try to make Champaign County a “home rule” entity. That would give the county board much more flexibility in raising property taxes.

As for the statewide advisory referendum to raise income taxes on “millionaires and billionaires” to fund property tax cuts, give Quinn credit. He combined two hot-button issues that ostensibly involve one – cutting property taxes – but are actually about another – passing a progressive state income tax.

This question will test how well voters understand the issue. They should say no.

Why?

Because they said no just four years ago, when Gov. J.B. Pritzker asked voters to repeal the Illinois Constitution’s flat tax mandate and allow the state to tax different income levels at different rates.

A vote in favor of Quinn’s proposal would allow Pritzker and lawmakers to say voters want a second chance to amend the Constitution to allow a progressive income tax.

Finally, there is the head-turning race in the 104th Illinois House District.

Incumbent Republican Rep. Brandan Schweitzer, a retired U.S. Marine, was appointed to fill Marron’s seat after Marron resigned. He will face Democrat Jarrett Klem, whose campaign officials are waging a personal smear campaign against Schweitzer.

Klem’s campaign literature goes so far as to suggest—but not outright accuse—that Schweitzer incited the riot on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2021, while he was actually on military duty in another state.

Will poorly informed voters buy into a well-funded smear campaign? Of course, that’s why they are run by candidates who want to win at any cost.