ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – Two measures backed by state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, passed the House Thursday that will eliminate government waste by allowing voters to dissolve duplicative layers of government and severely limiting the number of politicians eligible for government pensions.

“Our state cannot continue to drive the tab up with wasteful spending on redundant units of government or pensions for part-time elected officials,” Yingling said. “Most importantly, we cannot ask the taxpayers to bear the brunt of decades of financial mismanagement at the hands of reckless career politicians from both sides of the aisle.”

Yingling backed bipartisan House Bill 291, which mandates that part-time elected officials must work at least 1,000 hours in a year – roughly 20 hours per week – before qualifying for a government pension. Locally elected officials that work infrequently would feel the greatest impact.

Yingling and state Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, also co-sponsored House Bill 496, a measure that empowers voters with the ability to dissolve a township that maintains the same boundaries as a city or town. Yingling has been a constant critic of townships over the years due to the high levels of property taxes they impose on residents combined with the often duplicative or unnecessary services they provide.

“I am proud to work with my colleagues from across the aisle to pass taxpayer-centered reforms,” Yingling said. “Our work is far from over, however, and I remain steadfast in my commitment to work with Republicans to grow our economy, stabilize our finances and lessen tax burdens for working families.”

Both House Bill 291 and House Bill 496 await consideration in the Senate.