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 After advocating for government consolidation for 30 years, Bob
Anderson knows a thing or two about patience.
The McHenry Township trustee, who won his seat last April after running on a
platform of local government consolidation, introduced a measure Jan. 11 that
would allow citizens to vote to abolish their road district and transfer its
responsibilities to the township.
But after public comments and a discussion between trustees at the Jan. 11
township board meeting, Anderson’s measure was rejected on a 3-2 vote.
Illinois is home to the most units of local government in the nation by far,
with nearly 7,000. Reducing that number is a key step toward increasing
transparency and reducing the growth in Illinoisans’ property tax bills, which
are among the highest in the nation and grew six times faster than the median
household income from 2008-2015.
 But Anderson’s board meeting confirmed how difficult it is to consolidate
government in Illinois – even though McHenry County residents pay the
fourth-highest property taxes in the state.
At the meeting, critics of Anderson’s consolidation measure said it was his job
to educate the voters before giving them the opportunity to vote. McHenry
Township Highway Commissioner James Condon was one of Anderson’s harshest
critics in an effort to keep the status of his job away from voters. Others
opposed to Anderson’s measure argued there was no substantial research to
support the idea that consolidation of the road district would ultimately save
money.
But given the enormity of Illinois’ local government problem, the onus is on
those opposing consolidation to prove it would raise costs in the long term –
not the other way around. Further, the purpose of putting an issue to a vote is
to have both sides to present their arguments to the voting public.
Anderson didn’t respond to most of the heated speeches directed his way.
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“I’m not here to make
friends,” he said. “I’m here to serve the people that elected me.”
Anderson, who has owned
and managed his own barber shop for 56 years, was able to raise the
motion because of House Bill 607, which went into effect Jan. 1,
2018. The bill allows townships to put motions on voting ballots
asking citizens if they want to consolidate their local government
by removing their road district.
And notably, one new bill could give McHenry County voters an even
more powerful voice for consolidation.
On Jan. 12, state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, filed a
bill to allow voters greater influence in eliminating township
governments. House Bill 4244 would allow voters in McHenry County to
put a township-elimination referendum on the ballot by getting
signatures of at least 5 percent of voters from a previous
comparable election. If more than half of voters support the measure
at the polls, the county would assume the township’s
responsibilities, though the bill does allow for other
municipalities to bid to assume a dissolved township’s duties.
Despite receiving the most votes in last April’s election, Anderson
has been the subject of backlash for his consolidation efforts. Last
fall, his wife found nails behind the tires of his car at his home.
And in April, Anderson found nails behind his tires at his barber
shop on Barnard Mill Road.
But Anderson doesn’t pay attention to those who criticize him, even
when they do so at township meetings by calling him “just a barber.”
He’s thinking of presenting another motion at next month’s meeting
to discuss paying for a study on township elimination and reduced
taxes.
“I’m going to keep [up] the pressure,” Bob said after the meeting.
“I’m a patient person. I’m 80!”
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