The Madison County Board was asked by members of the public to consider including an Illinois "Separation Referendum" on the Nov. 3 ballot in order to open up discussion on the idea and gauge how residents feel about separating southern Illinois from the Chicagoland area.
“The county board members heard those comments and are discussing the issue,” said Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler.
The requests were submitted by Madison County resident Courtney Peridone and Illinois resident Loret Newlin.
“The referendum gives the county boards a seat at the table to discuss the possibility of separating,” Newlin wrote.
Peridone and Newlin stress that the referendum does not accept or reject separation. Instead, it puts the conversation on the table, “giving board members permission to talk to other boards about the possibility of separating from Chicago and becoming our own state.”
Before last week's meeting adjourned, board member Phil Chapman urged the board to consider the request.
“I do know there is a feeling of many people in Southern Illinois, some of which who are in Madison County, that feel that the old geographic of Illinois no longer functions appropriately given the way the government runs. I’m not going to weigh in on that, but I do think as elected officials we should think about how we’re going to allow that issue to be heard,” he said.
Nothing further was done or said about the issue at Wednesday’s meeting.
If the referendum were to appear on the ballot, voters would be presented with the decision to determine whether they want the county to look into the possibility of separating.
“According to the Declaration of Independence, our government derives its power by the consent of the governed,” Newlin wrote. “Many of us no longer consent to being governed by Chicago-dominated legislature, which seems unaware of how differently the rest of the state lives or how many laws in Chicago are inappropriate or repressive to the small towns and rural communities in the rest of the state.”
“It is our constitutional First Amendment right to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” she continued. “Because of the Chicago-dominated legislature, we see no way to have these grievances resolved other than through separation. The referendum gives We the People a voice about what we want, whether for or against. This is a non-binding referendum and does not make this split happen.”
Peridone wrote that new laws and taxes are “reshaping” Illinois, causing residents to flee “in record numbers.”
“Other than separation, there doesn’t seem to be anyway to make a change in a state dominated by the third-largest city in the nation. The referendum is an advisory question and would not make the separation happen, but would find out the will of We the People and begin the process.
“Board members can be personally against the separation but vote ‘yes’ in favor of allowing the citizens to have their voices heard. Asking the board to put it on the ballot is the most respectful as well as the most labor- and time-saving approach, both for the citizens and for the county elections and authority.
“Please vote yes to allow the question of Illinois separation to be put on the ballot so that Madison County citizens have an opportunity to make their voices heard,” Peridone wrote.
According to Peridone, the referendum reads, “Shall the Board of Madison County correspond with boards of other counties of this state outside of Cook County and with the municipalities of Cook County outside the City of Chicago, about the possibility of separating from the City of Chicago to form a new state and to seek admission to the union as such, subject to the approval of the people.”
Peridone wrote that anyone she talks to about the issue supports separating from Chicagoland. However, she said some businesses are hesitant to publicly voice their support for fear of negative consequences.
“The main issue they see is Chicago is a liability, bankrolling too many for nothing and taxpayers are on the hook for promises made without our consent,” she wrote.
Newlin noted that supporters of the separation are aware that Chicago is a major source of income for the state, but it is also a “major source of expense.”
“After citizens have voted and the will of We the People is known, then discussions about finances can begin. Until the ballots are tallied, we do not have the necessary consent and indication of which counties are in favor. That’s one of the things we are giving permission to the boards to do. Connect with other boards to find out what we have to work with,” she wrote.
Newlin added that when Vice Chairman of the Jefferson County Board Randy Edwards presented the referendum to its members, he said “We have to start somewhere.”
Peridone also argued that due to Chicago’s gun laws, business owners were left unable to protect their businesses amid rioting and looting. She said the property damage is expected to be repaid promptly by insurance companies “who are being threatened with fines and suspension of licenses.”
“As a licensed insurance provider, I know this will effect everyone’s premiums. The Chicago legislators would like for the whole state to have the same restrictive gun laws,” she wrote.