Brian Slodysko, TribLocal reporter

To eliminate township governments or not?

That is one of three ballot questions Downers Grove residents will be able to cast a vote to answer in the upcoming November 2 election, according to the DuPage Election Commission.

“It’s sort of like using the ballot as a poll. It doesn’t mean anything; it’s only advisory,” said Robert Saar, the commission’s executive director.  “They obviously know they don’t have the authority to abolish this form of government but they are trying to send a message to the state, saying they would like that to happen.”

Saar said Illinois has more forms of government – from parochial boards on up to the state level — than any other state. He said Pennsylvania was the next in line, but Illinois still had twice that state’s number of governing bodies.

The two other advisory measures will appear alongside the township elimination request. One would ask the state to “implement meaningful pension reform” to “relieve the unsustainable burden on local taxpayers.”  The other asks residents if elected officials in Downers Grove should have established term limits. The terms suggested under the measure would limit the mayor to serving two consecutive four-year terms and advise that commissioners can only serve three consecutive four-year terms.

Saar said the pension reform measure was one that he believed Springfield had already received loud and clear.

“It doesn’t do anything other than to send a message to Springfield that they already have,” he said. “The bond houses in New York have already told them that.  “

According to the office of the DuPage Election Commission, all of the questions are appearing on the ballot after the Downers Grove village board passed motions to put the advisory measures up for a vote, though citizens can distribute petitions to have questions placed on the ballot as well.