(The Center Square) – Representation and taxation are behind a ballot referendum in 12 Illinois counties to consider breaking off from Cook County and forming a new state.
The Illinois Separation Referendum or a similar nonbinding question is on the ballot in Coles, Gallatin, Hamilton, Henderson, Macoupin, McDonough, Monroe, Piatt, Saline, Warren and Washington counties, plus certain townships in Adams County.
Coles County Board Chairman Darrell Cox said he and his colleagues voted to include the referendum on the ballot due to representation.
“The reason is because the way the maps are drawn. In my mind, the legislative maps, they’re gerrymandered,” Cox told The Center Square.
Cox said one congressional map goes from Rockford to Champaign and another from Decatur to Springfield to East St. Louis.
“Our own governor laughed about it. I mean, the map was drawn by a kindergarten class,” Cox said.
Cox also pointed to uneven state legislative districts.
“It wasn’t so much about funding, it was more about representation. We just didn’t feel that downstate residents were getting equal representation in Springfield,” Cox said.
State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said new taxes have transferred billions of dollars from citizens and businesses into state budgets or the state treasury.
Halbrook proposed a resolution urging Congress to declare 101 of 102 Illinois counties a new state.
Illinois Separation Director Loret Newlin said the question now is if voters want to explore the possibility of a new state.
“Eventually, future steps include looking into finances and issues and approaching the state legislature and Congress for statehood approval,” Newlin told Greg Bishop on The States.
Added to the 33 counties that already approved referendums to consider separation, November approvals could bring Illinois up to 45 counties where voters expressed interest in breaking off from Cook.
Election Day is Tuesday.
Greg Bishop contributed to this story
