A hearing on a term limits referendum last week in the Franklin Park Police Station was short — 23 minutes — and quiet.
Mostly, the two sides exchanged paperwork on at the Dec. 19 meeting and set a schedule for future hearings.
There were, however, two significant changes from the last hearing. First, by order of the Appellate Court, the local electoral board was composed of three “public” members rather than three Franklin Park officials.
Second, when asked if he had any objections to the new composition of the local electoral board, term limits proponent Ken Zurek said he did not.
A small group of Franklin Park residents began gathering signatures for a term limits referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot in July. Then two residents objected.
A local electoral board composed of the village president, village clerk and senior trustee shot down the proposed referendum. It was shot down again by the Circuit Court but resurrected by the Appellate Court, which appointed three public members — two lawyers and a judge — to rehear the objections. Proponents now hope to get the question on the April 4 ballot.
And with term limits, the real challenge is getting the question to voters. Or so says Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits in Palm Beach, Florida. U.S. Term Limits assists and advise campaigns for term limits — although the organization is not involved with Franklin Park effort.
“If they get it on the ballot, the odds of it passing are close to 100 percent,” said Blumel. “Every single election cycle, more and more municipalities across the country adopt term limits. The hard part is getting it on the ballot.”
The next hearing on objections to a term limits referendum in Franklin Park is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 14 at the Franklin Park Police Station, 9451 W. Belmont Ave.