Broadview forum lays out what home rule would — and would not — change

The Village of Broadview hosted a public forum where officials and outside experts explained the difference between home‑rule and non‑home‑rule authority and took questions from residents.

Brad Cole, chief executive officer of the Illinois Municipal League, told the audience that home rule is a grant of local authority in the Illinois Constitution (Article VII, section 6) that generally allows a municipality to act unless the state expressly forbids it. "Home‑rule communities can do whatever they want unless the state has said they cannot," Cole said, adding that non‑home‑rule municipalities "can only do what the state says they can." He said there are two primary ways to become home rule: by population (a municipality with more than 25,000 residents) or by local referendum.

Cole said home‑rule status enlarges local options — for example, some communities use local sales taxes to reduce or eliminate municipal property tax — but does not eliminate open‑meeting rules, transparency requirements or statutory limits on debt. He emphasized that some actions (such as particular tax changes or certain debt limits) still require voter approval through a referendum.

Residents raised repeated concerns about how future boards might use expanded authority. "We have faith in this administration, but we don't know about tomorrow's administration," one attendee said, urging clarity about checks and balances. Cole and village officials responded that residents retain the power to petition for and vote on referendums to revoke home rule authority, and that a population‑driven change triggers mandatory review at the next decennial census.

Several attendees asked for clear, concise lists of what home rule cannot do. Cole said no single short list exists because state law spans many chapters and thousands of pages; village officials said they would work to make more information and monthly lobbying reports available to the public.

The mayor framed the forum as educational and urged residents to participate in future board meetings and referenda if they wish to press an outcome. The village's next board meeting was announced for July 6 at 6:30 p.m.