Got this email from Wonder Lake anit-township government crusader Bob Anderson:
Algonquin Township Trustee Larry Emery and Wonder Lake activist Bob Anderson discussed the merits of township government.
Illinois has one less tax-supported government.
On Tues. Evanston Township voters voted to abolish their township…Yes 4,170 to No 2,425 (63%).
Results to cheer!
The last Illinois township to be abolished was Williamson Township in 1932.
Plans are underway for more township referendums.
Does Bob have petitions he needs us to pass to help get it on the ballot in McHenry County?
The original bill that allowed this vote to occur would have allowed petitioning for a vote to abolish any township in the state.
It was watered down by amendment to only apply to Evanston Township.
I’ll ask my state Rep (McSweeney) and state Sen (Duffy) to introduce legislation like the original bill, so voters can start eliminating many more townships.
I suspect we could eliminate all townships in Illinois, and we’d still lead in the number of local governing bodies.
Wow. There were 2425 people on the dole in Evanston Township?
Wonder how many bottom feeders would be trying to save their fiefdoms in McHenry County referendums?
In 1903, the Evanston city and township boundaries were made identical (coterminous) and township and city government were consolidated.
The Evanston City Trustees serve as Township Trustees.
My guess is the City wants to get access to the reserves in the Township fund which at the end of 2013 were $1,597,078.
Evanston Township does not have a Road District.
All Townships in McHenry County have Road Districts and the Township Supervisor acts as the Treasurer (pays the bills and keeps the financials) for the Road District.
There are other differences between Cook County Townships and others.
Before any change is contemplated to Townships outside of Cook, you may want to look at the tax dollars transferred from other Counties to Cook County and especially Chicago to fund their bloated education budgets and transportation systems!!
Elimination of Townships in McHenry County WILL result in higher taxes!!
Just compare the payroll of any Township Road District on a per mile basis to the County cost.
Just compare the pay of other Township employees to the equivalent job at the County – include the benefits.
Are some Supervisors and Road Commissioners overpaid?
Probably but then ANY citizen can run for that job and change it.
Do not blindly accept what Bob Anderson is feeding you!!
The country did that and look what we have in D.C.!!!
Under the state Constitution: Article VII, Section 5. Townships.
“The General Assembly shall provide by law for the formation of townships in any county when approved by county wide referendum. Townships may be consolidated or merged, and ONE OR MORE townships may be DISSOLVED or divided, when approved by referendum in EACH TOWNSHIP AFFECTED. All townships in a county may be dissolved when approved by a referendum in the total area in which township officers are elected. (Emphasis supplied).
Therefore, you don’t need specific statutory authorization to dissolve one or more townships, nor can the legislature prohibit the dissolution of individual townships by citizen petition. Such a referendum, if passed, would be binding, and take effect immediately upon certification of the election results.
Current requirements for a petition would appear to be 8% of the people who voted for Governor in the preceding election, or in this case, in 2010.
Therefore, if 10,000 people voted for governor, all candidates combined, in a given township in 2010, you would need 800 valid signatures to put a binding referendum on the ballot to eliminate that particular township.
Contrary provisions in the Township Code only apply to abolition on a county wide basis.
Thanks for spoiling McHenry Township Supervisor-Queen, HRM (Prima)Donna Schaeffer’s Sunday morning brunch!
When she perused the above-thread, she spilled her whole urn of special Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee ($$$$$) on her breakfast caviar and velveteen napkins imported from Lebanon and spun from the beards of thousand shellfish.
Unfortunately for the oppressed taxpayers of McH.Tnshp her swoon will be short-lived and she’ll be spendin’ up a storm tomorrow am, as usual.
Bob Anderson, barber of Wonder Lake, continues to take revenge for his failed campaign for Township elected office?
And for his Township Assessor’s refusal to give Bob a preferential tax assessment reduction, one that would have shifted Bob’s tax burden onto his neighbors?
YAY, BOB ANDERSON, STANDING UP AGAINST VOTERS AND FAIRNESS FOR 15+ YEARS
For the Record Mr. Williams, Bob Anderson started his quest to abolish townships well before he ran for township Board.
I ought to know. I was his lawyer.
It was only after the referenda were unsuccessful that he attempted to pursue reform from within by running for the board.
I did likewise in Nunda by running for Supervisor.
The Party hierarchy pulled out all the stops to keep us out.