Home Rule Will Not Be on March Ballot

Those against home rule are pleased at the council`s vote, but those at Empower Rockford, a group pushing home rule, are upset, for more than one reason. "Were very disappointed," says Empower Rockford Member Peter Provenzano. "I would say a bit dismayed at the party lines in how the vote turned out, its unfortunate because they have put partisanship ahead of our community." All democratic aldermen voted against putting home rule on the March ballot, in addition to one republican. All five who voted for it are republicans. Mayor Larry Morrissey says he`s also disappointed with the outcome, but is looking beyond the voting along party lines. He says he`s pleased at the discussion among aldermen. It went on for more than an hour, and while they disagreed on how the issue should be put on the ballot, most voiced support for the concept of home rule. "The very positive thing was the universal commitment in support of home rule," says Morrissey. Empower Rockford hasn`t decided what their next step will be. But if they ever want home rule to come up for a vote, they`ll have to do a petition drive, getting thousands of signatures from voters. "Its a very stressful process and to have to get 10,000 is a very big undertaking," says Provenzano. Empower Rockford plans to meet within a week to decide whether they will start the signature campaign to get the issue on the November ballot.