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Health & Fitness

Dual Elected Duty: The Official Opinion Is In

"I therefore conclude that the city could adopt an ordinance to prohibit its elected officials from holding any other elected office, but only if such an ordinance was authorized by referendum."

This is a short blog post today.  I welcome everyone to read the official opinion that had been sought by the Elmhurst Finance Committee in regards to actions they and the citizens of Elmhurst can take restricting dual office holders. The legal opinion is given by Mr. Jack M. Siegal of Holland and Knight LLP. 

Those in opposition to dual elected duty have been right all along, and our opinions and course of action have been validated in the attached document.

The opinion is based on Article VII of the Illinois Constitution relative to Elmhurst's home rule authority. No Mayor or Council alone can approve a change to local government structure. That is assigned to the hands of the people through referendum. And this is simply what we have been asking for.  

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The Finance Committee and the City Council must now live up to their obligation to uphold the Illinois Constitution. It is amazing the mayor never understood it. 

In the face of this opinion, if Mr. DiCianni chooses, for political purposes, to relent in his efforts to hold two elected positions, he no longer has the right to stop this process. He started it, and it should NEVER have brought it to our home town.  

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Mayor DiCianni has opened Pandora’s Box. It is our constitutional right as citizens to shut it. Whichever way the dual elected duty restriction goes this November, through the voice and the vote of the people, so be it. But it must go to the people. And this means ALL Elmhurst voters—not just the one’s carved out for a mathematical political gain.

Mayor DiCianni has been quoted multiple times in local media that he wishes to “let the people decide.”  Now his wish can be granted.  

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