In case you missed it (ICYMI), the following is an excerpt of a story by WBBM Radio, featuring comments from Illinois Senator Michael Connelly, who represents the 21st District serving all or part of the communities of Naperville, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Lisle, Warrenville, West Chicago, Winfield and Wheaton in DuPage and Will counties.
Gov. Bruce Rauner, who made consolidating the state’s massive number of local government bodies a prominent piece of his agenda, has signed legislation to impose a moratorium on the creation of any new taxing bodies in Illinois.
According to data from the U.S. Census, Illinois has the most taxing bodies of any state, with nearly 7,000 local government authorities that have power to levy property taxes. They range from city councils and school boards to special districts for public libraries, fire protection, sewers and sanitation, and mosquito abatement.
…This spring, lawmakers overwhelmingly approved legislation to prohibit the creation of any new unit of local government for four years – unless it is done through the consolidation of two or more existing taxing bodies. Rauner signed the measure on Thursday.
…The state’s property tax burden is the second highest in the nation, and the cause is thousands of unnecessary layers of bureaucracy.
To read and listen to the entire story, click here.
Editor’s Note / In addition, PN’s editor wrote a story (Jan. 20, 2010) about the many governing bodies that serve Illinois for her Daily Herald column that is featured online here. Folks, pay attention. Thanks.
