Elk Grove Village trustees are expected to discuss and possibly take action on three referendum questions they placed on the Nov. 3 Presidential Election ballot addressing recreational marijuana, video gambling, and yard waste at their Tuesday, Dec. 8 village board meeting, Mayor Craig Johnson said.
The three questions were advisory, meaning election results are not binding law, but recommendations to village trustees.
On cannabis sales, the ballot referendum question asked: “Shall the village authorize the sale of adult-use ‘recreational cannabis’ (marijuana) within guidelines established by the state of Illinois and the village of Elk Grove?”
Voters responded with a resounding “Yes” by a 63.4% margin, or 10,626 votes, to the 36.6%, or 6,134 votes, opposing the measure.
Elk Grove Village has wholesale cannabis cultivation centers in its business park, but no dispensaries where members of the general public can purchase marijuana directly.
Answering the advisory referendum question “Shall the village limit the number of video gaming locations in the village?” voters came back with another strong “Yes” vote, approving the question by a margin of 68.8%, or 11,504 votes, to 31.1%, or 5,204 votes opposing the question.
Johnson said there are currently about two dozen video gaming locations in the village. He said village trustees would have to discuss whether they want to institute caps on video gaming licenses.
To the question on yard waste collection, “In the village’s upcoming residential waste and recycling agreement, should the village consider charging all residents an increased rate for unlimited yard waste collection in lieu of yard waste stickers?” voters expressed their strongest feelings on any of the village’s advisory referenda with a resounding “No” vote of 73% or 12,057 votes to a “Yes” vote of 26.9% or 4,447 votes. Johnson said the vote reinforces the status quo, requiring no further action by the village.
