The Pekin City Council has rejected putting a question on the April ballot asking voters if they wanted the ability to recall elected officials.
If approved by voters, the referendum would have allowed a citizen petition or a 2/3 majority of the city council to place a ballot question to allow for the recall of elected municipal officials.
There is no precedent for municipal recall elections in state election code, though the village of Mount Prospect has adopted a similar ordinance — now under litigation.
Several Pekin council members on Monday night asked where the idea for a recall came from. Interim city manager Bruce Marston eventually credited the outgoing mayor, Mark Luft, with the concept.
Luft said the measure was "requested by a large input of people in the community that asked me to do that."
The measure was soundly rejected, with only council member Karen Hohimer voting yes. Luft also voted no.
Residents also will not not see a question for the creation of a new real estate transfer tax on the April ballot. The council was asked to consider a referendum question to create the new tax on property sellers.
The stated goal of the tax was to create a way for the city to collect outstanding fines, taxes, and fees and deal with code enforcement issues before the sale of a property.
The question died before a vote, as no council member seconded it.
