WOODSTOCK – An advisory anti-tax referendum for the April 4 election filed by an incoming state representative faces an objection from the chief deputy McHenry County clerk.

Chief Deputy Clerk Linda Fitzgerald filed the objection Monday as a private citizen against the petition from Republican Allen Skillicorn, who will take the oath Wednesday to represent the 66th House District in the General Assembly.

The referendum, which Skillicorn filed last week in both McHenry and Kane counties, asks voters whether local governments should be required to ask voter permission before raising taxes by any amount. Under the tax cap, local governments are automatically entitled to collect an increase over their previous year’s extension equal to either the rate of inflation or 5 percent, whichever is smaller.

The proposed question is advisory only and carries no legal weight.

Fitzgerald, of McHenry, alleges in her objection that Skillicorn’s petition under state law required 7,566 signatures but contained only 92, and alleges that a number of those signatures are incomplete or illegitimate. She also alleges that the notary is deficient on four pages.

State law requires that referendum petitions have a number of signatures equal to or greater than 8 percent of the total number of votes cast in the taxing body’s boundaries in the previous gubernatorial election.

An objection making similar accusations also was filed in Kane County in an attempt to get it removed from that ballot as well.

Skillicorn, of East Dundee, said in a statement that he is troubled that the county clerk’s office “would work against property-tax relief.”

“Let’s be crystal clear, the interests that oppose this referendum want to hike our taxes,” Skillicorn stated.

County Clerk Mary McClellan said her sole concern is ensuring that state election law is followed when it comes to filing petitions. The county Electoral Board – made up of her, the state’s attorney and the circuit clerk – will hear the objection Friday. The objection will be heard next Tuesday by Kane County election officials.

“I agree with the language of the referendum … but it’s not about content. It’s about following the Illinois Election Code as defined,” McClellan said.

The proposed referendum is similar to one that appeared Nov. 8 on ballots in Lakewood, Cary and Fox River Grove. All three passed by 90 percent margins.

One study by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation puts McHenry County’s property-tax burden at the 29th highest nationwide, and Kane County’s right behind it at 30th highest. At just fewer than 7,000, Illinois has more local units of government than any other state.