Plainfield library referendum fails

PLAINFIELD – Brooding faces were spotted Tuesday night at the election viewing party for Citizens for a 21st Century Library as election results showed that the Plainfield Public Library's two referendum questions to build and operate a new $39 million library appear to have failed.

The group gathered at Katie O'Connor's Pint House in Plainfield to view the referendum's two questions, which unofficial results show failed by votes of 7,232 to 9,089 and 4,907 to 11,241 with 45 of 45 precincts reporting Tuesday night.

The referendum, if passed, would have raised taxes at the rate of about $15 per month for a $300,000 home. The new library would have provided new services and much-needed space to an otherwise cramped building.

"It's disappointing," said Bill Hanley, a member of the pro-referendum group.

At Plainfield Central High School, resident Khatija Ali said she voted in favor of the library referendum.

"We have a 3-year-old daughter and we're planning on raising her in Plainfield," Ali said, noting that an expanded library would provide more resources for her child. "I also think it's for a good cause."

Some who voted against the referendum cited tax concerns as their primary deterrent.

Resident Bala Vidyasagar said his main motivation to vote Tuesday at his polling place, St. Mary Immaculate Parish, was taxes.

"Absolutely not," Vidyasagar said when asked whether he supported the referendum. "[It seems like] we have the highest property taxes in the world."

While Vidyasagar wouldn't be opposed to expanded services with the library, he said he would like to see his overall tax bill to drop, not rise.

"They need to cut taxes somewhere else," he said.

Referendum campaign

Citizens for a 21st Century Library member Heather Kazmark said the political action committee targeted precincts where polling data showed voters were undecided.

"We kind of worked our way around the core downtown area," Kazmark said, noting that the group went to areas in the district where voters weren't as informed such as the unincorporated Wheatland Township and Plainfield Township areas.

Kazmark also said there were issues at Plainfield precincts 19 and 25, which were polling at the same place, Meadowview Elementary School. There was confusion at the location about ballots that may not have contained the referendum questions.

"Those are areas that we got support from," Kazmark said. "They had high voter turnout."

Another challenge came from a national conservative organization, Americans For Prosperity, that poured money into robocalls and other efforts against the referendum, according to a national pro-library group called Urban Libraries Unite.