Charleston city officials are considering switching its local government to home rule status, as 191 other Illinois cities have done since 1970.

Though the city’s population is less than 25,000 and home rule is not required, Charleston should adopt it anyway.

James M. Banovetz, professor emeritus at Northern Illinois University, defined non-home rule governments as being bound to exercising only the powers given to them by established state laws.

Governments under home rule can exercise any power on the level of local government, which is not denied by established state laws.

Home rule cities have a little more legislative legroom.

The benefits outweigh the disadvantages of home-rule systems.

It’s been successful in Illinois since the Constitution made it possible for cities to adopt home rule in 1970.

“(T)he system of home rule in Illinois has been described as one of the most comprehensive in the nation,” said Judy A. Temple in a 1996 Economic Journal article.

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of home rule?

Banovetz nicely breaks down how cities like Charleston may or may not benefit from home rule in “Illinois Home Rule: Evidence from Home Rule Elections,” written in 2000.

A home-rule position allows cities more flexible powers to settle neighborhood disputes, improve the quality of rental properties and give more support to public education.

Home rule would remedy a few of Charleston’s problems with getting the go-ahead from the state for endeavors such as the latter.

Home rule would make Charleston less dependent on the state legislature and freer to solve capitalization rate problems; something homeowners and buyers may encounter when buying or selling income property.

Home rule would also give the city more power extended toward non-residents – such as students.

It would allow the city to tax students in university communities, which may not sound all that great to students, but it would help the city in the long run.

Plus, students would have nicer places to rent off campus because home rule would allow the city to regulate housing standards – something Charleston certainly doesn’t have jurisdiction on now.

Home rule would protect not only students from bad landlords, but landlords from bad tenants because it would give the city the power to prevent neighborhood deterioration. Keeping homes and apartments in nice condition will be required for both parties.

Plus, Charleston is bringing in a new hotel next year and home rule would give the city more control of hotel and motel taxes.

If it went into effect, home rule would enable more flexibility in the way local government runs.

While the arguments against home rule are few in comparison with the benefits, they should still be considered.

Banovetz says home rule would not limit the city’s use of property tax powers. He also said all these broadened powers given to city officials could potentially be abused.

The home rule system is based on trust, which naturally makes citizens under these broad powers uneasy.

But, voters can always vote down and eliminate home rule if powers are being abused.

Overall, 31 Illinois cities voted against home rule, mostly because voters didn’t have trust in their local governments, according to Banovetz.

Of the 31 cities, 27 cities chose to maintain their home rule.

That means only four cities have voted to eliminate home rule. It’s also been 20 years since any city has voted to recall its home rule status, Banovetz said.

In his study, Banovetz looked at how communities have improved development under home rule.

Most cities choose to share costs with developers and negotiate tax concessions. Some cities impose impact fees on parks, schools, transportation, libraries and fire districts.

Impact fees are generally charged to private developers for residential projects so the cost of building is not a burden on residents or business owners.

Banovetz concluded that about 72 percent of city officials in home rule cities found it easier to enact ordinances because it allowed them to be more innovative.

Making Charleston a home rule city makes it less dependent on the state. It will help Charleston move ahead with economic development that would otherwise be permitted only by the state.

And, keep in mind, voters can always rescind if home rule isn’t for them.