In the General Primary Election on June 28, 2022, the Village of Hawthorn Woods plans to place a referendum question (SEE BELOW) on the ballot with regards to funding the repair, maintenance, and replacement of our Village roads, including replacement of the large diameter culverts that are crumbling under our roads.
The Village has been hard at work for many years seeking alternative funding sources and grant opportunities for our Village streets.
Question: Can the Village find additional funds from other sources to supplement road repairs?
Answer: Yes! But, not enough grants are available to fund all of our 57 miles of roads in Hawthorn Woods.
The following list details some of the funding sources the Village will and has received over the last few years to assist with the repair, replacement, and maintenance of our Village roads and culverts:
- The Village receives approximately $300,000 annually in Motor Fuel Tax that is used for road related expenses, including snow and ice removal, of which $120,000 is budgeted for road maintenance in Fiscal Year 2022.
- The Village and Fremont Township received approximately $475,000 of Surface Transportation Project funding for the resurfacing of Schwerman Road in 2018.
- The Village is receiving six payments, totaling approximately $525,000, for road improvements from Rebuild Illinois.
- The Village is receiving $258,000 from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to improve the Community Park parking lot.
- The Village has submitted two projects to the Lake County Council of Mayors requesting funds for the resurfacing of Indian Creek Road and Acorn Drive through the Acorn Acres subdivision extending to Village limits. If successful, these two projects may be funded through the Surface Transportation Project for the next five years at 80%.
- The Village continues to seek additional sources of funding for our roads through local, state, and federal grant programs.
- The Village has been successful in securing grant funding for many other Village projects over the last five years, securing $1,800,000 for other non-road related Village infrastructure improvements.
Despite the Village’s efforts to secure funding from other sources for the rehabilitation of our Village roads, securing a sustainable funding source is urgent to avoid falling further behind in the effort to secure the $28.5 million dollars necessary for the rehabilitation of our streets.
The wording on the ballot is strictly controlled, and the Village cannot add the words “Road Referendum” or explain that some taxes will actually decrease if the referendum passes. The new tax will replace the existing higher SSA road bond tax currently on your property tax bill.
This sample ballot below is mandated by law to appear in this exact format.
