Question

Rejection of home rule power by the citizens of Rockford (describe what home rule means, what having home rule power allows local governments to do, the arguments for and against having home rule power, why Rockford residents repealed their home rule power in the 1980s, and why Rockford residents rejected going back to having home rule just a year or so ago)

Answer 1

Part A

Home rule means that the authority of administrative division to execute the power of governance and performs government functions and delegated it to the central or state government. The power of home rule is different from state to state. In the local government, they have the power to create rules and regulation themselves without consulting central or state government. They are known as home rule states.

Part B

Arguments for and against home rule

Home rule allows free from dependence on the decision taken by making law from central government. It transfers power from state legislators to the cities, municipalities. Assess local needs and formulate a better plan in the grass root level, find better solutions for ground-level problems, promote and protect residents, allocate the scarce resources to the highest priority needed community and manage local affairs.

Arguments against home rule

They are favoring political friends to make the decision process, and policy decisions make states to more difficult to understand the grass root problems, decrease the economies of scale, lack of uniformity in regards to services provided by the state and fewer resources of local government cannot solve their problem accurately.

Part C

The Rockford citizens repealed home rule in the 1980's because the Mayer in the city raised the property taxes in two years in a row. Home rule is the tool of power the elected officials but they misuse this then voters can repeal it.

Part D

The tax rule is major constraint where home rule restored in Rockford. Most of the residents in Rockford need an extra tool for making the power of local governments.