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Council votes to place home-rule government study commission question on Nov. 3, 2026 ballot
Summary
The Shamokin City Council authorized placing a question on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot asking voters whether to elect a government study commission to consider home rule, citing tax flexibility; staff said the ballot language and timing were reviewed by PEL/DCED.
The Shamokin City Council voted to ask the Northland County Board of Elections to submit to city voters on Nov. 3, 2026 the question of electing a government study commission as a first step toward home rule.
Council discussion included procedural concerns and debate about the purpose of home rule. One council member asked whether an older version of the ballot question might be illegal; staff and counsel replied that PEL and DCED personnel had researched and approved the question that will go to the ballot. "Our PEL people, Mr. Hotenstein and the DCED people have all researched this and the question that will go ... has already been decided and approved," a staff speaker said.
Supporters framed the move as a way to give the city more flexibility in structuring taxes. A council member said the goal is to reduce the property-tax burden on elderly homeowners and small businesses by allowing revenue sources to be more broadly spread. "The reason we're doing this is for flexibility ... This is not an indication where taxes are going to go up. This is just an avenue of flexibility for us to be more fair in the way the taxes are distributed," the council member said.
Why it matters: Home rule is a structural change that can alter taxing authority and local governance; placing a study commission question on the ballot initiates a process that could lead to drafting a home-rule charter if voters approve subsequent steps.
Next steps: The ballot question will be advertised and submitted to the Northland County Board of Elections for placement on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot; staff and counsel will proceed with the required paperwork and notices.
