Highland Park Voters OK Township Mental Health Board, Liquor License Rule Change

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Voters in Highland Park and Moraine Township have approved both referendums on the ballot in Tuesday's election, according to unofficial results from the Lake County Clerk's Office.

The Moraine Township Mental Health Board referendum passed with 72.1 percent support, tallying 12,158 votes in favor and 4,691 against. And a citizen-initiated municipal advisory referendum on allowing liquor license holders to serve on the Highland Park City Council passed with 81.8 percent support, totaling 13,375 votes in favor to 2,973 against.

The mental health board referendum will establish a taxpayer-funded community mental health board alongside a 0.03 percent property tax levy. This tax will fund mental health facilities and services, including resources for intellectual and developmental disabilities and substance abuse treatment.

Expected to raise between $800,000 and $900,000 annually, the new tax will cost about $10 per year for a single-family home valued at $100,000.

Advocates with the Yes for Mental Health committee highlighted pressing local needs, citing over 300 mental health and substance abuse-related hospitalizations at Highland Park Hospital in the past two years and a lengthy waitlist for state-provided disability services.

“Our community needs efficient, dedicated resources to fill critical gaps in mental health services,” committee representatives said, underscoring their commitment to addressing unmet needs in Highland Park and Highwood.

The second referendum, a non-binding proposal, asked voters whether Highland Park’s longstanding prohibition on liquor license holders serving as elected officials should be lifted.

With an overwhelming 81.8 percent of voters supporting the measure, the election results reflect a strong call for change in local governance.

The advisory referendum follows recent controversy around the city’s liquor licensing law, which prevents the city’s liquor commission from issuing or renewing a liquor license for any sitting councilmember.

The rule, in effect since the end of Prohibition, gained renewed attention in January when Mayor Nancy Rotering, acting as local liquor commissioner, approved the renewal of a liquor license for Councilmember Jeff Hoobler, who co-owns Ravinia Brewing Company. Hoobler eventually resigned to avoid losing his business license after a tie vote on a proposed amendment led to the measure’s defeat.

Highland Park Forward, a political action committee advocating for the change, gathered more than 2,500 signatures to place the question on the ballot. The advisory referendum reads: “Should the City of Highland Park, Illinois amend its laws to allow liquor license holders to serve as elected city officials?”

“The voters of Highland Park have made it crystal clear that they want a more inclusive City Council, “ HP Forward co-chair Irwin Bernstein said in a statement after unofficial results showed the advisory referendum was approved by 55 percentage points.

“Just look at these numbers: The highest consensus in Lake County!" he said. "It’s great to see the Highland Park community come together in such unanimity. I believe it is a clear sign that the voters are looking for a new path forward."

Doug Purington, a Ravinia resident and officer with the Ravinia Neighbors Association, said the referendum shows residents want more independent councilmembers.

“This referendum reflects a tremendously growing grassroots movement that wants a stronger voice in deciding who can run for the City Council, and wants to elect more independent community members who will model transparency and civility in local government," Purington said.

Faye Rosenberg, a merchant in the Ravinia business district, said that any previously expressed concerns about amending the liquor license restrictions are clearly no longer relevant.

“Mayor Rotering initially opposed the amendment because she said that passing it would help a fellow Councilmember, but since Jeff resigned, that issue is moot," Rosenberg said. "In addition, any concerns about potential conflicts of interest are addressed by state law and by recently adopted city ethics guidelines that apply to all Council members, and augment the well established remedy of recusal.”