Ms. Dailing's comments were presented to Rockford City Council on December 5th 2005.
My name is Elizabeth Dailing. As a native of Rockford, when I completed graduate school and was living abroad, I made a choice to come back to Rockford. I feel that now that I am here it is my duty, rather than choice, to advocate for change that I see as beneficial to this community. Everyone keeps referring to 1983. I can tell all of you here, yes, I lived in Rockford then and was a 7 year old going to Beyer Elementary School. I did not know what Home Rule was nor did I understand the future effects it would have on Rockford.
I am here tonight also as a representative of the League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford; in fact our entire board here tonight, is supportive of reinstating Home Rule powers in Rockford. The League of Women Voters has a long history of support for Home Rule; seeing local governments take control of their communities and make decisions on a local level activates more citizens to be involved in the process of government. Our role many times involves educating people on issues we feel are critical to the betterment of our community.
The League of Women Voters are supporting the efforts of Empower Rockford on the issue of Home Rule because:
- Being a non-Home Rule community is costing us money. In fact, $5 mil. in unnecessary interest payments.
- The state legislation and statutes on drug houses and abandoned properties are not enough for a community the size of Rockford. As a League, we support coalitions, like Empower Rockford, who present solutions like Home Rule to protect and ensure the well being, health and safety of our citizens.
- On the subject of local authority, in Rockford's current structure, we have to ask the state for the authority to act on issues that can only truly be understood locally. It is the goal of our League to support all efforts that strengthen the ability of our municipal government - All of you sitting here, to govern well.
We see a need for change in Rockford. Home Rule presents us with a number of options for implementing this change.
Through the education of voters in Rockford, combined with the powers you the City Council and Mayor will have with Home Rule, Rockford’s potential will be reawakened. Participation in our government is a liberty we are afforded, that in many other places, citizens are not. We hope you, as our elected officials, help us and allow our citizens a choice in how they would like to be governed.
I stand here as both an ordinary citizen and a representative of the League - not one of a privileged class and tell you that with your support in allowing the citizens of Rockford to vote on Home Rule on the March ballot, you will be inspiring us as leaders willing to make a change, rather than acting in a way, "that would diminish our trust in you" as our opponent suggested.
I thank you for your time and look forward to sharing with you and our community all of the benefits that Home Rule has to offer. On behalf of the League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford, we ask you to show leadership and courage by putting this issue on the March ballot.