Yingling: House of Representatives Needs to Hear about Importance of Government Consolidation

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, presided over the entire House of Representatives on Monday during a hearing pertaining to the importance of government consolidation in Illinois.

“1391 road & bridge districts? 1430 townships? These are just a few of the countless examples of the over 8,000 scattered taxing bodies throughout Illinois,” said Yingling. “Fewer governments empowered with a greater strategic purpose can offer these services more effectively, efficiently and at a lower cost to the taxpayer.”

Yingling presided Monday over a “Committee of the Whole”, a committee consisting of the entire House of Representatives that heard testimony from officials familiar with the issue. Yingling invited Aaron Lawlor, Chairman of the Lake County Board and representatives from the Better Government Association, Taxpayers Federation of Illinois and Office of the Lieutenant Governor to testify. The Committee of the Whole was scheduled as a response to the governor’s request that legislators include government consolidation as part of any larger budget agreement.

This spring, Yingling spearheaded two major government consolidation measures: House Bill 607, which would empower township trustees to put the abolishment of a township on the ballot and Senate Bill 3, which would allow voters to abolish a township via a voter-led referendum. Both measures passed the House and Senate and now head to the governor for approval.

“Lake County residents rightfully maintain a state of perpetual irritation knowing unnecessary taxing bodies funnel their hard-earned tax dollars towards unnecessary services, especially when they open their property tax bill,” Yingling continued. “Duplicative taxing bodies and high property taxes are a vicious cycle – one that I am determined to break in Springfield.”