M06, Trib's referenda wrap up

Chicago Tribune (Joseph Ruzich and Victoria Pierce):

In Melrose Park, officials are happy that two non-home rule municipal sales tax increases of 1-percent were passed. Fifty-five percent of the 1,651 voters approved the increases.

The measures related to the retail sales and services of tangible personal property. Both taxes would be phased in over two years. Grocery sales, medicine and medical equipment would be exempt from the retail sales portion of the tax, said Mark Scarlato, Melrose Park's assistant village attorney. Both taxes could bring in up to $1 million for road improvements or tax relief, he said.

Is it strange that Melrose Park passed the referendum without knowing how the money would be used? Or could this be sloppy journalism by the newspaper that neglects Proviso?

It also struck me as odd and problematic that the Sun-Times got info from the County Clerk saying the referenda lost by six votes when the official results had it passing with 55% of the vote, a comfortable margin. See earlier entry. Either the clerk's office was fouled-up or the election results were adjusted.

Th Trib article also addresses Bellwood's library referenda losing.

In other suburban Cook County referendums, residents in Broadview overwhelmingly voted against the village becoming a home-rule government...