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 A bipartisan measure in the Illinois House of Representatives
would empower Illinois taxpayers to trim local government – a needed tool in the
state with, by far, the nation’s most government layers.
State Reps. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, and Jonathan Carroll,
D-Northbrook, are chief co-sponsors of House Bill 307, which would create the
Citizens Empowerment Act. The bill would allow Illinoisans to dissolve or
consolidate any unit of local government by voter referendum, and transfer that
unit’s services to a bigger government body.
Under the proposed Act, Illinoisans could collect signatures equal to 5 percent
of ballots cast in the last general election and put the consolidation question
before voters in the next general election. Those pursuing consolidation would
file petitions with both the targeted government and the government that would
absorb its services at least 122 days before the election.
For a referendum to succeed it would receive approval from voters in both the
dissolving and receiving government units. Approval by each group would require
either three-fifths of those voting on the referendum or over 50 percent of
total votes in the election.
Illinois has nearly 7,000 units of government, more than any other state in the
nation. Maintaining that much bureaucracy is costly, and it’s one of the main
drivers of Illinois’ high property tax burden.
Fortunately, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in Springfield have
spearheaded taxpayer-friendly consolidation efforts in recent years.
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In 2018, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake,
proposed the Township Modernization and Consolidation Act, which
would have allowed Illinois counties to dissolve their townships by
voter referendum, brought either by citizen petition or county
ordinance. Hundreds of townships filed witness slips opposing the
bill, which eventually died in the Rules Committee.
Taking note, Yingling returned in February with a bill that would
prohibit local taxing bodies from using tax dollars to fight
consolidation efforts. McSweeney and Carroll are both chief
co-sponsors on that measure.
McSweeney introduced a separate proposal last year that would have
eased the process for residents looking to abolish their townships
in McHenry County. Former Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill, arguing
that its scope should extend beyond just McHenry County. McSweeney
revived that bill in January, and chief co-sponsorships include
state Reps. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook; Sam Yingling,
D-Grayslake; Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield; and Allen Skillicorn,
R-East Dundee.
Across Illinois, overburdened taxpayers have looked to consolidation
as a means to reduce tax bills, slash waste and improve efficiency.
In McHenry County, high property taxes have sparked a revolution
among residents determined to cut local government bloat.
Illinoisans are up to their necks in high tax bills and overabundant
government layers. Lawmakers should send taxpayers relief by sending
the Citizens Empowerment Act to the governor’s desk.
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