County Board Legislative Committee Supports Referendum Question Regarding Illegals

The Effingham County Board's Legislative Committee Monday voted to place an advisory referendum on the November election ballot concerning funding for illegal immigrants.

The referendum passed by the commitee reads as follows: "With the POTENTIAL EXCEPTION of emergencies which might be declared by the appropriate authorities, should tax-based funding be allocated and spent in support of ILLEGAL MIGRANTS in Effingham County, Illinois?" People would either vote Yes or No. The measure would have no binding authority.

Local residents Dave Habbe and Gary Reed spoke in support of the referendum.

Habbe said the US has "invited illegal immigrants (he estimated 11 million) into the nation." He said it's a matter of safety, as well as a matter of economics.

Reed said of the effort, "If we start in Effingham County, it would be a significant start." 

Reed and Habbe believe a majority of residents in the region and maybe other areas would be largely supportive of the referendum and that the vote could serve as a wakeup call to elected officials.

The full Effingham County Board voted in January to prohibit the use of local tax dollars on immigrants being transported through the county. County Board Chairman Josh Douthit said he would support the new measure, too, but wanted to guard against acting on a number of similar measures. Douthit said he didn't want to "water down" their efforts. 

The voice vote on moving the proposal to the full County Board appeared to be unanimous. Board members Norbert Soltwedel, Chris Keller and Elizabeth Huston were not present for the meeting.