… staff Monday to prepare a resolution for a binding referendum on the 2012 ballot. If put before the voters and approved, the chairman would be chosen by the voters rather than the 24-member board.
State law allows counties with fewer than 450,000 people to either elect the chairman as a County Board member or elect the chairman without having been first elected to the board. A chairman elected independent of the board has a four-year term under state law, while a chairman who is also a board member is elected to a two-year term.
If the referendum is put forward and approved, it would not mean that the County Board would attain home rule status, as is allowed under the Illinois Constitution. In order to become a home rule county, which would give county government expanded taxing and regulating power, voters would have to expressly approve it and approve electing a full-time county executive.
Cook County is the only Illinois county with home rule status – Will County has an executive form of government, but without home rule power.
Click on the following for more details: Northwest Herald | Referendum could let residents elect County Board chairman
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