Illinois Municipal League releases legislative agenda

[February 09, 2022]  By Kevin Bessler

(The Center Square) – The Illinois Municipal League has released its annual platform that it says will ensure the long-term success of the state’s 1,296 cities, towns and villages.

The “Moving Cities Forward” platform prioritizes restoration of the Local Government Distributive Fund, which originally in 1969 dedicated 10% of the state’s total income tax revenue to municipalities, but is now closer to 6%.

IML Executive Director Brad Cole said county governments and municipalities need that money to continue to provide services directly to people who pay the taxes.

“This cut in revenue is felt throughout the communities across the state, large and small,” Cole said. “It has led to local leaders being forced to raise other taxes or fees or cut programs and services to make their budgets balanced.”

Illinois residents pay among the highest taxes in the country. State government cut back local government's portion of the income tax over the years to fill state budget holes and pay for increased spending.
 

Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole

Greg Bishop | Illinois News Network

Cole said if Illinois lawmakers are serious about property tax reform, then they have to get serious about pension reform, and reminds taxpayers that municipalities are a small piece of the tax bill.

“The majority of the property tax bill goes to pay for education and other units of government and not the municipality,” Cole said. “For that piece that the municipalities collect, almost entirely it goes to pay for pensions.”

According to the Illinois Policy Institute, pension debt is directly linked to Illinois’ high taxes, reduction in government services, and lagging economic growth. Illinois already spends more on pensions as a share of its revenues than any other state and more than double the national average.

The IML platform also advocates permitting public officials to conduct remote meetings without the issuance of a gubernatorial or health department disaster declaration.

“We found this has enabled a major expansion of the democratic process, by allowing input by those who may not have the time or ability to be physically present at meetings,” IML president and Decatur Mayor Julie Moore-Wolfe said.

The IML is also backing a proposal that would allow municipalities to fulfill public notice requirements by posting the information on a website.