Edwardsville, IL (KMOX) - "What's being placed in front of the board isn't actually a secession attempt," explains David Stopher. Stopher tells KMOX's Total Information AM, it's just a question to voters.
The Madison County Board took steps Wednesday night to pass a resolution on dealing with the separation of downstate Illinois from Cook County and Chicago, with the board passing the resolution by a 15-7 vote with little explanation from board members for supporting it.
14 of the vote came from Republicans, with Robert Pollard being the only Democrat to vote in favor of the resolution.
The referendum will be on the ballot for Madison County voters on Nov. 5 and it would ask residents to weigh in on whether the board should communicate with other government bodies outside of Cook County about the possibility of separating from Chicagoland, and explore the possibility of forming a new state.
Stopher says two townships have already voted to explore the idea.
Stopher says he doesn't believe that Cook County and downstate interests align. He disputes past studies that indicate downstate communities get more revenue from the state than what they contribute in taxes. Stopher says it's not a Republican vs. Democrat issue. He says he more of a Libertarian -- he just wants government "out of his pocketbook".
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