We the People met with House Leader Natalie Manley’ recently. Bob Anderson’s notes from the meetiig follow:
Majority Leader Natalie Manley’s December 9th Zoom meeting with WE THE PEOPLE…
Subject: Illinois has too many units of local governments
The Comptroller count of local government is 8,529 units; this is too much government.
Where is the argument when forty six states get by with less than 2,500?
Action Plan
A reasonable plan to reduce the size, cost and confusion of 8,529 units of local government is to eliminate township governments that have fewer than 500 residents.
Illinois has 362 such governments.
Forty three township governments have fewer than 200 residents.
Seven have fewer than 100 residents.
Newman Township has 64 residents!
Brown County is a county that has 7 of its 9 townships with fewer than 500 residents.
Township governments have just two (2) state-mandated duties, property assessment and aid to the needy, general assistance.
1) Property Assessments: Performed by Illinois’ 321 Multi-Township Assessors.
2) General Assistance: FOIA requests (over 100) show that low populated townships have high administrative cost, few receive aid, and sit on illegal fund balances while continuing with increasing levies.
3) Illinois is the only state with township general assistance programs as well as 17 of Illinois’ counties.
Question: If units of government, like townships, are not performing their duties why do they exist and continue to tax people?
The Ask: Legislation submitted in January to eliminate townships with fewer than 500
residents.
Respectfully submitted,
Bob Anderson, A former McHenry Township Trustee and 30 year activist / proponent government
consolidation/elimination. thebobberwl@gmail.com or 815-653-9865
