Mike Walz

Voters' ousting of the four incumbents may have been a result of lost confidence, said Mike Walz, president and founder of the Concerned Citizens of Glen Carbon.The group formed to oppose the creation of a tax-increment financing district in Old Town.

"It goes to prove that we still have a system that works if you participate," Walz said."If we could get the people out to vote, then we knew we pretty well had it licked."

Walz said a number of events led to a lack of trust, including:
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Before the election, Walz and group members went door-to-door, urging people to vote the current administration out of office.

"I have confidence that they will be able to undo the messes," Walz said.

But for Mike Walz, president of Concerned Citizens for Glen Carbon, it wasn't just about home-rule status or a sales tax.

"This time, we only had two months and we came up with 79 percent (against)," Walz said.

Mike Walz, co-founder of the Concerned Citizens of Glen Carbon, said the concern lies in the idea that these taxes are being levied without any type of referendum or voter approval.

"The levy itself isn't all that much.We figured that for a typical house in Old Town, it would raise the taxes about $4 or $5 a year," Walz said."Rather it was the method they use, it was very reminiscent of the previous village administration -- we are doing this because we can."

Walz said the group is considering starting a petition campaign to put the issue of the additional library taxes on the March ballot.But he said it has been placed on hold until hearing the board's explanation Tuesday.

Mike Walz, president of Concerned Citizens, sees this as another reason to "change the people" on the village board.

Mike Walz, president of Concerned Citizens, the group leading the opposition to home rule, said, " I think it's wonderful and a huge vote of no confidence for the mayor and the majority of the trustees."

Walz led the campaign to successfully defeat TIF II and a $3.3 million bond issue about five years ago.He said they had about two years to work that out, but this time had only a couple of months to put a campaign together to defeat home rule.

"I hope this gives us an advantage in April to change the board," he said.

Mike Walz, president of the Concerned Citizens of Glen Carbon, said, "We have a system that works if you can get the people to participate -- and it worked."

Mike Walz, president of the Concerned Citizens of Glen Carbon, said, "We have a system that works if you can get the people to participate-and it worked."