In addition to contested municipal, school board and park district races and a previously reported home rule question being posed in Columbia on April 4, voters in Maeystown and Hecker also have referendum questions to consider during the upcoming consolidated election.

In Hecker, a question will be posed asking residents if the village should be granted the authority to establish an electrical aggregate system.

The program would allow voluntary participation of residents and small businesses in an electric utility service managed by the village. 

Voters in the coverage area of the Maeystown Rural Fire Protection District will have two referendum questions on the ballot.

The first question asks if the fire district should be allowed to authorize a special tax levy not to exceed .10 percent of equalized assessed value of property in the district in order to “pay for the costs of emergency and rescue crews and equipment.”

The referendum filing estimates the tax would cost a single-family residence $33 annually per $100,000 of assessed property value.

The other referendum asks if the fire district may levy a tax exceeding the rate established in the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

The levy would exceed PTELL by .085 percent, resulting in a total tax of .45 percent of the equalized assessed value of taxable property in the district if the referendum passes. 

The estimated cost of the additional levy would be $28 annually per $100,000 of assessed value.

All referenda on the ballot need only a simple majority to pass.

Also on the April 4 ballot, voters in Monroe County south of Columbia will have a say in electing a new trustee in subdistrict 1 of the Southwestern Illinois College Community College District 522.

Douglas Sachtleben and Tracy Vallett, both of Red Bud, are candidates for subdistrict 1. 

Steve Campo is running unopposed in subdistrict 3, which in Monroe County covers Columbia and areas north. 

SWIC trustee terms are four years.

In a Monroe County property tax breakdown for 2020, this multi-county community college district amounted to 7 percent of the total property tax distribution.

Early voting ahead of the April 4 consolidated election is now available in the Monroe County Clerk’s Office at the courthouse. 

Early voting is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through election day and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 1. 

For more information, visit mococlerk.com/elections.html.