From State Rep. Steve Reick:
Governor Vetoes Township Consolidation Bill that Targeted McHenry County
State Rep. Steve Reick on his second swearing in day.
On Friday afternoon, Governor Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto to HB 4637, which singled out McHenry County and would have allowed township consolidation referenda to be brought forward by an extremely small number of township residents and without a cost study to prove savings.
I was a vocal opponent to this bill throughout the legislative process. Upon learning of the Governor’s veto, I issued the following press statement:
“I am pleased with this amendatory veto and agree with the Governor’s comments that consolidation legislation of this nature should not target just one county.
“When I spoke against this bill during the House floor debate, I expressed my opposition to this ‘McHenry County-only’ initiative.
“The sponsor of this bill, in my opinion, was capitalizing on political dysfunction within one McHenry County Township.
“I believe the bill was written to only apply to one county because he would not have been able to generate the required number of votes if lawmakers were being asked to vote for the provisions in their own districts.
[The Governor’s amendatory veto expanded the language to cover the whole state.]
“There was nearly unanimous opposition to this bill by the members of the McHenry County Board, which would have had to absorb township functions through this consolidation bill.
“I am pleased to know the Governor put the brakes on this legislation so that a future bill could be written in a much more thoughtful and comprehensive fashion.
“My primary concern with consolidation legislation remains the absence of a requirement for an independent cost study to prove cost savings will truly occur.
“I maintain that consolidation for the sake of consolidation is not always beneficial to taxpayers.
“Show us your study and prove your savings.
“Then you can take you case to the voters.”
Rep. Reick is the voice of reason and common sense.
While I agree that this bill was an ill-conceived half baked publicity stunt taken out of the playbook of the likes of Jack Franks, Steve should know that this wasn’t just about consolidation of townships but also abolition.
As to cost studies, to paraphrase Mark Twain, there are 3 kinds of liars: Liars. Damned Liars. and Cost Study Analysts.
You can hire someone from “Cost Study Analysts R Us.com” and they will say whatever you pay them to say.
Whether immediate costs savings will occur or not is not the main point.
The point is to get rid of a level of government that has been rife with corruption precisely because it is so small that it escapes notice by anyone other than local government geeks.
Right now you can abolish townships by submitting a petition containing 8% of the people who voted for Governor in the last such election.
That is not a real difficult number to hit (unless you are John Reinardt).
The problem is the lack of authority for the county to take over some township functions, receive Motor Fuel Taxes, assumption of township debts, etc.
This needs to be spelled out.
Of course, nothing will ever pass that includes the entire state as no legislator will buck his/her local township organization.
Abandon all hope Yea who enter Illinois.
There should be a well thought out plan, if not the costs will raise like BOcare’s poor plan.
Where’s McDOT’s 2015 report on township road maint that many of the county board members are using to oppose elimination without a good plan.
Laws need to be changed, where is the pro elimination crowd’s plan?
Both sides should make their case, then a decent plan has a chance.
I second Known Extremist’s comment.
No feasibility consultant ever said a project wouldn’t work.
All these “studies” are made as instructed.
and I say that with 40 years of experience in reading feasibility studies for municipal projects.
I thought 4637 was only about abolishing township highway commisisons with laess than 15 miles of road?
Am I wrong?
That was the minor part of the bill.
Reeky Reick needs to slow down on the lies.
Soon he’ll outdo Althoff!!!!!!!
Without Townships Illinois would collapse and we would all die!
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois/articles/2018-03-17/illinois-lawmaker-seeks-to-abolish-townships-to-lower-taxes