SCOTUS Local Reaction: Baldermann Offers Opinion On Roe V. Wade Ruling

NEW LENOX, IL — Reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision Friday to kick laws on abortion back to individual states has been pouring in from across the country, and New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann offered his thoughts on the matter.

In his interview with Patch, Baldermann stressed repeatedly that he was not commenting as the mayor of New Lenox; rather, he wished to give his own opinion as a private citizen.

Baldermann said that the Village of New Lenox does not get involved in matters of federal legislation, nor does New Lenox have any abortion clinics in the community, so it would not be appropriate for the Village or for Baldermann to issue any official public statement about the ruling.

One thing Baldermann said he agreed with in the justice's majority ruling was the decision to give individual states the authority on abortion, not the federal government; however, Baldermann also said that the abortion rights issue itself had become too partisan over the years.

"The problem nowadays is — and we see this on both sides of the aisle — everything is becoming so partisan. It's about politics." Baldermann said.

Baldermann said that, in his view, more compromise is needed in government instead of focusing on party-line ideologies. He said he is just as critical of states and politicians that push for extremes in either direction, meaning those for complete, unrestricted access to abortions and those for a complete ban of the medical procedure.

"Everything is so hyper-partisan nowadays that it's not good for anyone anymore," he said. "It's about politics; it's not about people. And that is so disappointing."

There are more than 27,000 residents of New Lenox, and Baldermann said that in his role as mayor he tries to take the wide range of diversity into account, again emphasizing the need for compromise in government.

"My personal opinion on every issue is not necessarily how I govern as a mayor," he said. "I represent [nearly] 30,000 people who are on both extremes and everything in between. And I take that real seriously that I try to represent everybody and have an open mind and an open door to everyone in our community. That's how I govern as a mayor.

"My personal beliefs — regardless of how I feel on the issue of pro-life, pro-choice — I don't think that you can just have extreme legislation either way."

Baldermann said he can't personally support states' decisions that would ban abortions in cases of rape or incest, nor could he support states' that allow abortions for minors without parental consent.

"There has to be some common sense conversation about all of these things, whether it's gun control, whether it's abortion rights, whether it's the death penalty, it doesn't matter what it is. But nobody wants to talk anymore. It's all extreme positions, and we lose no matter what side is victorious. We all lose as a people when that happens."

Find more coverage of Friday's SCOTUS ruling and local reaction in the links below.

• Roe V. Wade Court Decision: What It Means For Women Across Illinois
• After Supreme Court Decision, Roe V. Wade Remains Law In IL: Pritzker
• Roe V. Wade Overturned: Abortion Rights Left To States To Decide
• Protests Slated Around Chicagoland After SCOTUS Overturns Roe V. Wade