The Lake County Forest Preserves board of commissioners authorized the question asking voters to approve the sale of $155 million in bonds. The Board has allocated the funds as follows:
The estimated annual increase on a Lake County home valued at $300,000 is just under $33.
“If approved, the new funding would be used to protect more land and expand the benefits the forest preserves provide to all of us," said Executive Director Alex Ty Kovach. A comprehensive list of projects has been created to ensure that all areas of the county benefit from the referendum funds.
New funding would be used to:
Visit the official Lake County Forest Preserves referendum web page for more information https://www.lcfpd.org/who-we-are/referendum/
Shall the Lake County Forest Preserve District, Lake County, Illinois, acquire land and preserve forests and natural lands, protect, preserve and restore wildlife habitats, including providing air and water quality improvements, enhance flood control, improve hiking and biking trails and other recreational areas and infrastructure, and enhance public access, and issue its bonds to the amount of $155,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
The approximate impact of the proposed increase on the owner of a single family home having a market value of $300,000 would be $32.97 in the first year of the increase if the increase is fully implemented.
If approved, the funding will allow the Forest Preserves to:
• Increase forest preserve access for all to provide opportunities to improve physical and mental wellness.
• Improve water and air quality and reduce flooding through habitat restoration.
• Acquire land to create new preserves for you and future generations to enjoy.
• Expand existing preserves to create a wider network of healthy landscapes, allowing plants and animals to better adapt to environmental changes.
• Build important trail connections to provide safe routes for exploration.
• Without funding to purchase land, irreplaceable wildlife habitat and natural areas may be lost to development.
• There will be limited ability to finish planned trail connections and increase access to many existing trails and preserves.
• Critical habitat restoration on hundreds of acres will slow or stop.
• The health of many of Lake County's signature lakes, ponds, streams and rivers may not continue to improve.
The additional $32.97 per year on a $300,000 house is based on a 20-year bond. The payment will not increase over the 20-year bond period.
• Protect wetlands, prairie and woodlands which are home to pollinators and wildlife.
• Help reduce the number and severity of floods and clean and recharge groundwater. Woodlands, wetlands and prairies absorb higher amounts of stormwater than developed areas, where rainfall typically flows into storm sewers.
• Reduce local summer air temperatures. Trees release water from their leaves and provide shade, cooling the air by an average of 2–4 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Walking, birding, fishing, paddling, and other outdoor activities provide a great way to stay active and improve mental health. These activities also help reduce stress and anxiety while improving attention and cognitive function.
• Clean the air we breathe. Trees remove large amounts of pollutants from the air every year, lowering the rates of respiratory and cardiac diseases for residents.
VOTE YES ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
You can vote by mail, vote early, or vote at your polling place on November 5th.
Vote By Mail Ballots will be sent beginning September 26th and must be postmarked by November 5th in order to be counted.
Information on voting in Lake County is available by visiting the official county election website here.
Early voting begins county-wide on October 21st. Click here to find Early Vote locations. November 4th is the last day for early voting.
Click here to find your Election Day Polling Location.
VOTE YES for the Lake County Forest Preserves!
Go to https://www.lcfpd.org/
Paid for by Friends of the Lake County Forest Preserves.
A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available
on the Board's official website: www.elections.il.gov or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.