Campton Hills: A Struggle for Limited Government
By Drew Veeneman
Last April, the area now known as Campton Hills, Illinois voted to incorporate as a village with the goals of preservation and “no new taxes”—now, however, concerned citizens fear the village itself may be the principal threat to both.
Initially, pro-village advocates supported incorporation based upon three principles: self-determination, preservation, and no new taxes. They claimed a municipality would give residents necessary leadership to stop encroaching developers, while maintaining a minimal village government run solely on state funds (at no local expense to residents). Most importantly, village advocates promised outlying residents could disconnect.
Residents are now learning, however, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
There are currently eight separate disconnection initiatives filed and in progress, with more on the way. The most recent case is Arbor Creek, a large subdivision with 162 homes. Contrary to incorporation campaign promises when the referendum was passed last April, the Village has chosen to fight each of these in court.
Village president Patsy Smith feels duty-bound to defend the original boundaries of Campton Hills passed via referendum. In a demonstration of twisted logic, she explains that by allowing detachments “we could be disenfranchising and taking action against what the people in those areas wanted.” Ironically, Smith also argues detachments are a tax base issue, and any dollar lost “would unduly harm our village."
A Grassroots Struggle
Under oppressive Village leadership, a grassroots movement of local activists have organized to form the Free US from Campton Hills Committee. Their grievances range form basic property rights to government transparency.
Free
Village proponents then challenged the petition, accusing Free US activists of “widespread fraud.” Such a challenge would normally be reviewed by the local Village Electoral Review Board; however, Free US activists successfully filed an injunction with 16th Circuit Court Judge Colwell so the petition would be reviewed by another governing body. The challenge was assigned to the Kane County Electoral Review Board, and ruled valid on December 28.
Village officials, however, weren’t finished yet.
Although the petition was ruled valid, the village dug up one more technicality. Ballots in Campton Hills are limited to three referendum questions. The village filled the February 5 ballot referendum slots, and could conceivably continue to do so in the future. This would effectively block a dissolution referendum indefinitely.
Additionally, while circulating the dissolution petitions, a full slate of Free US candidates also filed for the first village election last February 5. Petitions were challenged for Village President candidate Robert Young and Village Clerk candidate Carolyn Higgins, then subject to the Campton Hills Village Electoral Review Board. Higgins’s papers were approved, but Young’s petitions were dismissed on a technicality. Consequently, Young was removed from the ballot, and forced to re-apply on a write-in basis.
Down, But Not Out
The February 5 election results reflect a slim victory for Campton Hills incumbents. Robert Young performed well as a write-in candidate (over 1,500 votes) but lost to Village President Patsy Smith’s 54 percent of the vote. Free US Candidate for Village Clerk, Carolyn Higgins, won by 2 percent. Meanwhile, pro-village trustees won by 1-2 percent each
Despite recent defeats, however, movement leader Chris Baldwin remains optimistic.
“We’re going to push on the two fronts,…There will be a definitive accountability [trustees] have not had to address to date.”
