O’Fallon residents say ‘no’ to selling or leasing water system

O’Fallon residents on Tuesday sent a resounding message to City Hall: Leave our water alone!

Residents voted on two referendums, both dealing with whether the city should sell or lease its water department and wastewater treatment plant. Both were advisory referendums, meaning city leaders are not bound by their outcome.

The referendums were among a host of tax increases and other ballot questions throughout the metro-east. They included school tax increases in Breese, Granite City and Triad, along with propositions on whether Shiloh and New Baden should adopt home rule.

With 22 of 22 precincts reporting, both O’Fallon referendums lost. Here are the results:

From the city: Shall the City of O’Fallon consider only a lease and not a sale of the municipal-owned water and wastewater systems and related assets? The vote was 1,162 in favor and 3,456 against.

From O’Fallon Citizens for Action: Shall the City of O’Fallon sell or lease the municipal-owned water and wastewater systems and related assets? Residents voted yes, 786 to no, 3,832.

Proponents of the water questions, who included Mayor Gary Graham, said selling the assets would bring in $50 million that could be used to build roads, parks and other infrastructure improvements. Opponents warned that selling the water system could bring higher water and sewer rates and loss of local control.

Graham could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Voter turnout in O’Fallon was 24.37 percent, likely because of the water controversy. In many municipalities, including Belleville, voter turnout ran about 13-14 percent.

Breese School District 12

For the third time in 13 months, residents in Breese Elementary School District 12 voted down a tax increase. The results were 740 to 1,022.

A proponent group, Concerned Citizens for District 12, posted on its Facebook page: “Heartbroken doesn’t even begin to describe how we are feeling. ... Hopefully those that voted ‘no’ fully understand the ramifications of their decision.”

The district asked for the maximum authorized annual tax rate to be increased from 0.92 percent to 1.22 percent, which meant a 30-cent tax increase for every $100 of assessed value on property.

The Breese district’s total tax rate is 2.07, which includes operations, transportation and other funds.

Granite City School District 9

Voters rejected the Granite City District 9 tax referendum in final but unofficial results Tuesday night. With all precincts reporting, the vote was 2,620 to 3,042.

The referendum asked voters to approve an 80-cent increase in the education fund tax rate from $2.55 to $3.35 per $100 of equalized assessed value, which would have increased the taxes on a $100,000 house by $267 per year. The funding was intended to replace state funds that have dwindled in recent years.

Triad School District 2

Residents of Triad School District 2 approved a tax increase in Tuesday’s election. With all 20 precincts reporting, the vote was 2,319 to 2,162.

Triad asked for a 50-cent increase in the education fund to $2.34, which is estimated to increase taxes by $170 a year for a home valued at $120,000. With a planned refinancing of existing debt, the district hopes to lower that bill to $156.40. The increase would generate an additional $2.158 million per year for the district.

Shiloh home rule

Shiloh’s home rule referendum failed, according to unofficial results on Tuesday. According to the St. Clair County Clerk’s website, 795 people voted against home rule status and only 296 people were in favor.

The village board placed the home-rule referendum on the ballot in order to have the possibility of enacting a crime-free housing ordinance in town.

Home rule also allows village boards to enact new taxes without going to referendum, such as a sales tax increase or putting in place a food and beverage tax.

However, village officials have said increasing taxes is not the intent of enacting home-rule in the community.

New Baden home rule

With all precincts reporting from New Baden, 283 people voted against becoming a home-rule municipality; only 150 people voted in favor of the proposition.

Village officials placed the referendum on the ballot because being home rule would have allowed the town to enact a crime free housing ordinance.

As results came in, New Baden Mayor Christy Picard was resigned that the referendum would fail.

“We’ll see what we can do with the resources we have,” Picard said.

Columbia sales tax

A sales tax hike referendum in Columbia failed again on Tuesday, according to unofficial totals.

With all precincts reporting, 431 people voted against the sales tax hike; 228 people were in favor.

Voters were asked whether they wanted the sales tax rate in town to be increased from 6.5 percent to 6.75 percent to help pay for infrastructure improvements.

Columbia expected the increase would have brought in about $165,000 a year from the sales tax hike with plans of using the money for infrastructure projects such as street and sidewalk repairs.

This story was originally published April 7, 2015 at 8:06 PM with the headline "O’Fallon residents say ‘no’ to selling or leasing water system."