Sorry, but you can't have it both ways. This has become a relatively low income area due to its geographic location. When the people have consistently been gouged with new and increasingly higher taxes (school district being the main one) over the last few decades, more stringent ordnances only make the situation worse. This is how a typical liberal area fails. It is going on in countless communities around the country. Of course, all of Illinois is seeing this as well.
Just remember, Granite had a chance to elect a more conservative mayor a few years ago, David Breeden. Too many wanted to have their good ol boy put in charge after the last good ol boy, Selph.