A press release from State Senator Craig Wilcox:
Wilcox Consolidation Bill Adds Vital Taxpayer Protection Clauses
Springfield, IL. – State Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) filed legislation Wednesday to ensure local government consolidation puts taxpayers first.
Senate Bill 1567 contains specific taxpayer protection clauses to protect residents if any local government consolidation decisions are made.
Craig Wilcox
“The bottom line for government consolidation is that voters have the ability to choose the level of government they are comfortable with and how much of it they can afford,” said Wilcox.
“At the same time, there needs to be protections for taxpayers so that they are the primary beneficiaries of any smarter, smaller or more efficient government that consolidation brings.”
Key provisions of SB 1567 include;
- Only taxpayers within the dissolving township boundaries are responsible for paying any debt transferred to the county. Protects other county taxpayers.
- Assets of the dissolved township or road district, especially if liquidated, must be used solely for the benefit of residents of the geographic area within the former boundaries of the township. Protects the taxpayers who previously paid the taxes allowing a township to acquire those assets.
- Ensures that counties or municipalities will receive Motor Fuel Tax dollars that were dedicated to a dissolving township based on lane miles. Protects local taxpayer dollars, as part of a dissolved township’s lane mile Motor Fuel Tax account from being redistributed state-wide.
“The overall goal of government consolidation is to save taxpayers’ money,” said Wilcox.
“But, it must be fair and equitable.
“Under my legislation, if a township decides to dissolve itself into the county, the taxpayer dollars paid by those township residents must be for their benefit.
“At the same time, the contractual obligations of the consolidating township – including its debt – is solely the responsibility of that township and should not become a burden put onto the people of the entire county.”
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While the bill has been introduced, it has not yet been posted to the Legislative Information System data base.
Wilcox said that the process in State Rep. David McSweeney’s bill allowing abolition of townships if a referendum is approved is contained in his bill.
Nice to see Wilcox stepping up and proposing some legislation.
A lot of new legislators sorta hang out in the back of the room so to speak.
Where is the protection from higher taxes brought on by: “to dissolve itself into the county”?
Average compensation packages for Township Road District employees is about 50 % of a MCDOT employee.
When a Township which has been providing a senior center or a park or a forest preservation area or a recycling center or or or or is dissolved, who will provide those services?
At what expense?
Answer this question: When was the last time that Springfield ever Legislated anything that actually SAVED taxpayer dollars over the long haul?
On the issue of Townships, Reick knows a lot more than McSweeney.
@questioning From reading what Wilcox is proposing is that if the people choose to eliminate its township that there are some provisions put forward.
It seems that Wilcox is saying it is up to the people to decide how they want their government?
If taxpayers put it on the ballot then I would say it is up to the people to debate the pros and cons of eliminating their township or townships within the county.
It might even be more beneficial to have a Countywide election for all townships?
Get rid of them all or keep them all.
Some townships work really well.
This is not a one size fits all situation.