By Dee Longfellow
For The Independent
Residents of Addison Township should be aware there are three propositions that will appear on the April 4 ballot regarding some key issues that could affect the future of the quality of life in the area.
The first reads: “Should the Federal Aviation Administration and the City of Chicago make the “Fly Quiet” program at O’Hare Airport permanent for the residents of Addison Township?”
There has been a controversial “Fly Quiet” test program in place at O’Hare during the months of July through December of 2016, which involved changes in the flight configurations. Although it expired in December, there are plans for another test expected to begin in late April or early March.
The goals of the runway rotation test are to provide near-term relief; reduce impacts to the communities facing the highest amount of noise impact; and provide predictability by publishing a rotation schedule that would allow citizens to predict periods of relief to the extent possible.
The Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee, a subgroup of the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission, is hoping to discuss a potential third test rotation that would not include Runway 15/33, which is scheduled to be decommissioned in the spring of 2018.
The proposition on the ballot is asking if the City of Chicago and the FAA ought to make the Fly Quiet program permanent for residents of Addison Township. Since the program is still in testing, it’s unclear if or when a permanent program could be put in place. It’s still somewhat unclear whether or not the plan is working, that is, is it actually reducing noise for nearby communities or not. Most people feel however that it is the first time O’Hare seems to be working toward a solution to mitigate excess noise, so it’s easy to want to encourage the testing. That is the decision voters will have to make on April 4.
The next proposition reads: “Should the State of Illinois increase the residential and senior homeowner exemptions to help reduce property taxes for the residents of Addison Township?”
This is a bit of a no-brainer especially for senior homeowners. Any effort to reduce property taxes seems like a positive move and this proposition if passed should increase the amount of the exemption.
The third proposition reads as follows:
“Should Addison Township pursue consolidation of government entities that presently have no elected oversight?”
There has been a great deal of talk — and some action — on downsizing government and doing away with Illinois’ numerous units of government — the highest of any state in the U.S.
The concern may be that township government seems to be at the top of the list for the chopping block, partly because township government was formed back in the days when Illinois was mostly prairie and farmland. Also, township government currently only deals with unincorporated areas of the County, which are rather few and far between.
There is also an argument that if you simply do away with township government, then who oversees the unincorporated areas? If those areas are simply lumped in with the towns where they sit, then those residents may not have had a vote in electing some of their representatives.
It seems the primary issue is about government consolidation most of all and that is what voters will need to consider at the polls.
Be sure to vote on April 4.
