Frankfort Mayor, Trustees Blast Proposed State Legislation Threatening Local Zoning Control

Village of Frankfort Meeting | March 2, 2026

Article Summary: Village of Frankfort officials strongly condemned proposed state legislation during their Monday meeting, arguing that pending bills in Springfield would strip local municipalities of their zoning authority and further reduce critical state-shared revenue.

State Legislation Opposition Key Points:

• Zoning Control Under Fire: Officials criticized House Bill 5626 (the Build Illinois Act), which Mayor Keith Ogle warned would remove the village’s ability to determine appropriate housing placements.

• Funding Cuts: The Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF), originally 10%, faces a proposed reduction to 6.1%, which officials say will push burdens onto local property taxpayers.

• Call to Action: The Mayor and Board members urgently requested that residents contact their state representatives and senators to oppose the measures.

The Frankfort Village Board on Monday, March 2, 2026, used its public meeting to voice staunch opposition to a series of legislative moves in Springfield that local officials say directly threaten the village’s autonomy and financial stability.

During the Mayor’s Report, Mayor Keith Ogle drew attention to House Bill 5626, known as the Build Illinois Act, warning residents of the severe local impact if passed.

“Basically [it] would strip away our zoning control, our ability as a community to decide what properties are appropriate and where they should go,” Ogle stated. “Instead, those decisions will be made from Springfield. They strip away your voice to decide which homes are appropriate, especially things that are already built. You might have something built right next to you.”

Ogle also raised the alarm on continuous cuts to the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF). The fund, which represents a portion of state income tax revenue shared with municipalities to fund essential services, was historically set at 10%. Ogle noted that it has been reduced year after year.

“The amount, which was 10% some years ago, now is down to about 6.1% in a proposed bill,” Ogle said. “The net result is that these services are not able to be funded and they have to be put onto property taxes.”

Board members emphatically echoed the Mayor’s frustrations during the Board Comments section of the meeting. Trustee Adam Borrelli characterized the housing legislation as an unbelievable overreach by the state government.

“That housing bill, that’s ridiculous. I can’t believe the governor would even propose such a thing, to strip locals of our fundamental right of zoning,” Borrelli said. “It’s mindboggling. I’m pretty confident it won’t go anywhere, but it’s just alarming that he would even suggest such a thing. I highly, highly recommend that you reach out to your legislator to oppose that.”

Trustee Daniel Rossi warned that HB 5626 might just be the beginning of a broader trend of state interference in municipal affairs.

“These bills that are going down in Springfield, there’s even more in the works that could come that are going to hurt local municipal government,” Rossi said. “The state controlling what we do and how we run our community is not a good thing. So, please contact your state reps, your state senators, and talk to them about these bills that are on the floor or getting close to being on the floor.”

Mayor Ogle concluded his report by urging residents to reach out to village staff if they needed more information on how to contact their legislators to express their opposition.