Disappointment voiced over outcome of home rule vote

Disappointment was voiced by a member of the Anna City Council after a proposal to establish a home rule form of government was turned down by voters in Tuesday's election.

The measure was defeated by a margin of 69 percent to 31 percent.

A total of 385 no votes were cast, with 242 in favor of home rule.

Anna City Council member Al Kamp was on hand Tuesday night at the Union County clerk's office in Jonesboro to watch as election results were tallied.

Kamp said he was disappointed  by the outcome of the election.

"We're just going to have to regroup and see what we can do to make the best use of the money we have," Kamp said.

Anna officials had hoped to establish home rule as a way to give the Union County community more local control over its operations.

Kamp said he thought that voters in Anna were worried about a potential increase in their property taxes, so they voted against home rule.

One election observer who was at the county clerk's office suggested that voters turned down the proposal because they did not understand how home rule would work.