SB2196eng 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2196 Engrossed LRB093 15617 MKM 41224 b

AN ACT concerning stormwater management.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing Section 18-185 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/18-185)

Sec. 18-185. Short title; definitions. This Division 5 may be cited as the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. As used in this Division 5:

"Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor.

"Extension limitation" means (a) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters under Section 18-205.

"Affected county" means a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants or a county contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants.

"Taxing district" has the same meaning provided in Section 1-150, except as otherwise provided in this Section. For the 1991 through 1994 levy years only, "taxing district" includes only each non-home rule taxing district having the majority of its 1990 equalized assessed value within any county or counties contiguous to a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants. Beginning with the 1995 levy year, "taxing district" includes only each non-home rule taxing district subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year and each non-home rule taxing district not subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year having the majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value in an affected county or counties. Beginning with the levy year in which this Law becomes applicable to a taxing district as provided in Section 18-213, "taxing district" also includes those taxing districts made subject to this Law as provided in Section 18-213.

"Aggregate extension" for taxing districts to which this Law applied before the 1995 levy year means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before October 1, 1991; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before October 1, 1991; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after October 1, 1991 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before October 1, 1991 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before October 1, 1991, to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before October 1, 1991; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act to finance construction projects initiated before October 1, 1991; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), (e), and (h) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (j) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (k) made by a school district that participates in the Special Education District of Lake County, created by special education joint agreement under Section 10-22.31 of the School Code, for payment of the school district's share of the amounts required to be contributed by the Special Education District of Lake County to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund under Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code; the amount of any extension under this item (k) shall be certified by the school district to the county clerk; and (l) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

"Aggregate extension" for the taxing districts to which this Law did not apply before the 1995 levy year (except taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with Section 18-213) means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after March 1, 1995 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before March 1, 1995 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before March 1, 1995 to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before March 1, 1995; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act to finance construction projects initiated before October 1, 1991; (h-4) made for stormwater management purposes by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago under Section 12 of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum and bonds described in subsection (h) of this definition; (j) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (k) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds authorized by Public Act 88-503 and issued under Section 20a of the Chicago Park District Act for aquarium or museum projects; (l) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds authorized by Public Act 87-1191 or 93-601 this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and (i) issued pursuant to Section 21.2 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act, (ii) issued under Section 42 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act for zoological park projects, or (iii) issued under Section 44.1 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act for botanical gardens projects; (m) made pursuant to Section 34-53.5 of the School Code, whether levied annually or not; (n) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; and (o) made by the Chicago Park District for recreational programs for the handicapped under subsection (c) of Section 7.06 of the Chicago Park District Act.

"Aggregate extension" for all taxing districts to which this Law applies in accordance with Section 18-213, except for those taxing districts subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213, means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held if the bonds were approved by referendum after the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (j) made for a qualified airport authority to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued for the purpose of paying obligations due under, or financing airport facilities required to be acquired, constructed, installed or equipped pursuant to, contracts entered into before March 1, 1996 (but not including any amendments to such a contract taking effect on or after that date); and (k) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

"Aggregate extension" for all taxing districts to which this Law applies in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213 means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 if the bonds were approved by referendum after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (j) made for a qualified airport authority to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued for the purpose of paying obligations due under, or financing airport facilities required to be acquired, constructed, installed or equipped pursuant to, contracts entered into before March 1, 1996 (but not including any amendments to such a contract taking effect on or after that date); and (k) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

"Debt service extension base" means an amount equal to that portion of the extension for a taxing district for the 1994 levy year, or for those taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with Section 18-213, except for those subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213, for the levy year in which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held, or for those taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213 for the 1996 levy year, constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the taxing district without referendum, but not including excluded non-referendum bonds. For park districts (i) that were first subject to this Law in 1991 or 1995 and (ii) whose extension for the 1994 levy year for the payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds) was less than 51% of the amount for the 1991 levy year constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds), "debt service extension base" means an amount equal to that portion of the extension for the 1991 levy year constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds). The debt service extension base may be established or increased as provided under Section 18-212. "Excluded non-referendum bonds" means (i) bonds authorized by Public Act 88-503 and issued under Section 20a of the Chicago Park District Act for aquarium and museum projects; (ii) bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; or (iii) refunding obligations issued to refund or to continue to refund obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum.

"Special purpose extensions" include, but are not limited to, extensions for levies made on an annual basis for unemployment and workers' compensation, self-insurance, contributions to pension plans, and extensions made pursuant to Section 6-601 of the Illinois Highway Code for a road district's permanent road fund whether levied annually or not. The extension for a special service area is not included in the aggregate extension.

"Aggregate extension base" means the taxing district's last preceding aggregate extension as adjusted under Sections 18-215 through 18-230.

"Levy year" has the same meaning as "year" under Section 1-155.

"New property" means (i) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of new improvements or additions to existing improvements on any parcel of real property that increase the assessed value of that real property during the levy year multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30, (ii) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of real property not exempt from real estate taxation, which real property was exempt from real estate taxation for any portion of the immediately preceding levy year, multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30, and (iii) in counties that classify in accordance with Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, an incentive property's additional assessed value resulting from a scheduled increase in the level of assessment as applied to the first year final board of review market value. In addition, the county clerk in a county containing a population of 3,000,000 or more shall include in the 1997 recovered tax increment value for any school district, any recovered tax increment value that was applicable to the 1995 tax year calculations.

"Qualified airport authority" means an airport authority organized under the Airport Authorities Act and located in a county bordering on the State of Wisconsin and having a population in excess of 200,000 and not greater than 500,000.

"Recovered tax increment value" means, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the amount of the current year's equalized assessed value, in the first year after a municipality terminates the designation of an area as a redevelopment project area previously established under the Tax Increment Allocation Development Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, or previously established under the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property in the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of each property in the redevelopment project area. For the taxes which are extended for the 1997 levy year, the recovered tax increment value for a non-home rule taxing district that first became subject to this Law for the 1995 levy year because a majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value was in an affected county or counties shall be increased if a municipality terminated the designation of an area in 1993 as a redevelopment project area previously established under the Tax Increment Allocation Development Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, or previously established under the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, by an amount equal to the 1994 equalized assessed value of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property in the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of each property in the redevelopment project area. In the first year after a municipality removes a taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property from a redevelopment project area established under the Tax Increment Allocation Development Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, "recovered tax increment value" means the amount of the current year's equalized assessed value of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property removed from the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of that real property before removal from the redevelopment project area.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, "limiting rate" means a fraction the numerator of which is the last preceding aggregate extension base times an amount equal to one plus the extension limitation defined in this Section and the denominator of which is the current year's equalized assessed value of all real property in the territory under the jurisdiction of the taxing district during the prior levy year. For those taxing districts that reduced their aggregate extension for the last preceding levy year, the highest aggregate extension in any of the last 3 preceding levy years shall be used for the purpose of computing the limiting rate. The denominator shall not include new property. The denominator shall not include the recovered tax increment value.

(Source: P.A. 92-547, eff. 6-13-02; 93-601, eff. 1-1-04; 93-606, eff. 11-18-03; 93-612, eff. 11-18-03; revised 12-10-03.)

Section 10. The Counties Code is amended by changing Section 5-1062.1 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-1062.1) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-1062.1)

Sec. 5-1062.1. Stormwater management planning councils in Cook County.

(a) Stormwater management in Cook County shall be conducted as provided in Section 7h of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. As used in this Section, "District" means the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

The purpose of this Section is to create planning councils, organized by watershed, to contribute to the stormwater management process by advising the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and representing the needs and interests of the members of the public and the local governments included within their respective watersheds. allow management and mitigation of the effects of urbanization on stormwater drainage in Cook County, and this Section applies only to Cook County. In addition, this Section is intended to improve stormwater and floodplain management in Cook County by the following:

(1) Setting minimum standards for floodplain and stormwater management.

(2) Preparing plans for the management of floodplains and stormwater runoff, including the management of natural and man-made drainage ways.

(b) The purpose of this Section shall be achieved by the following:

(1) Creating 6 Stormwater management planning councils shall be formed for each of the following according to the established watersheds of the Chicago Metropolitan Area: North Branch Chicago River, Lower Des Plaines Tributaries, Cal-Sag Channel, Little Calumet River, Poplar Creek, and Upper Salt Creek. In addition a stormwater management planning council shall be established for the combined sewer areas of Cook County. Additional stormwater management planning councils may be formed by the District Stormwater Management Planning Committee for other watersheds within Cook County. Membership on the watershed councils shall consist of the chief elected official, or his or her designee, from each municipality and township within the watershed and the Cook County Board President, or his or her designee, if unincorporated area is included in the watershed. A municipality or township shall be a member of more than one watershed council if the corporate boundaries of that municipality, or township extend entered into more than one watershed, or if the municipality or township is served in part by separate sewers and combined sewers. Subcommittees of the stormwater management planning councils may be established to assist the stormwater management planning councils in performing their duties preparing and implementing a stormwater management plan. The councils may adopt bylaws to govern the functioning of the stormwater management councils and subcommittees.

(2) Creating, by intergovernmental agreement, a county-wide Stormwater Management Planning Committee with its membership consisting of the Chairman of each of the watershed management councils, the Cook County Board President or his designee, and the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission President or his designee.

(c) (3) The principal duties of the watershed planning councils shall be to advise the District on the development and implementation of the countywide develop a stormwater management plan with respect to matters relating to their respective watersheds and to advise and represent the concerns of for the watershed area and to recommend the plan for adoption to the units of local government in the watershed area. The councils shall meet at least quarterly and shall hold at least one public hearing during the preparation of the plan. Adoption of the watershed plan shall be by each municipality in the watershed and by vote of the County Board.

(d) (4) The District principal duty of the county-wide Stormwater Management Committee shall give careful consideration to the recommendations and concerns of the watershed planning councils throughout the planning process and shall be to coordinate the 6 watershed plans as developed and to coordinate the planning process with the adjoining counties to ensure that recommended stormwater projects will have no significant adverse impact on the levels or flows of stormwater in the inter-county watershed or on the capacity of existing and planned stormwater retention facilities. The District shall include cost benefit analysis in its deliberations and in evaluating priorities for projects from watershed to watershed. The District committee shall identify in an annual published report steps taken by the District to accommodate the concerns and recommendations of the watershed planning councils. committee to coordinate the development of plan recommendations with adjoining counties. The committee shall also publish a coordinated stormwater document of all activity in the Cook County area and agreed upon stormwater planning standards.

(5) The stormwater management planning committee shall submit the coordinated watershed plans to the Office of Water Resources of the Department of Natural Resources and to the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission for review and recommendation. The Office and the Commission, in reviewing the plan, shall consider those factors as impact on the level or flows in the rivers and streams and the cumulative effects of stormwater discharges on flood levels. The review comments and recommendations shall be submitted to the watershed councils for consideration.

(e) (6) The stormwater management planning councils committee may recommend rules and regulations to the District watershed councils governing the location, width, course, and release rates of all stormwater runoff channels, streams, and basins in their respective watersheds the county.

(f) (7) The Northwest Municipal Conference, the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, and the West Central Municipal Conference shall be responsible for the coordination of the planning councils created under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 88-649, eff. 9-16-94; 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

Section 15. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act is amended by adding Section 7h and by changing Section 12 as follows:

(70 ILCS 2605/7h new)

Sec. 7h. Stormwater management.

(a) Stormwater management in Cook County shall be under the general supervision of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The District has the authority to plan, manage, implement, and finance activities relating to stormwater management in Cook County. The authority of the District with respect to stormwater management extends throughout Cook County and is not limited to the area otherwise within the territory and jurisdiction of the District under this Act.

For the purposes of this Section, the term "stormwater management" includes, without limitation, the management of floods and floodwaters.

(b) The District may utilize the resources of cooperating local watershed councils (including the stormwater management planning councils created under Section 5-1062.1 of the Counties Code), councils of local governments, the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, and similar organizations and agencies. The District may provide those organizations and agencies with funding, on a contractual basis, for providing information to the District, providing information to the public, or performing other activities related to stormwater management.

The District, in addition to other powers vested in it, may negotiate and enter into agreements with any county for the management of stormwater runoff in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 5-1062 of the Counties Code.

The District may enter into intergovernmental agreements with Cook County or other units of local government that are located in whole or in part outside the District for the purpose of implementing the stormwater management plan and providing stormwater management services in areas not included within the territory of the District.

(c) The District shall prepare and adopt by ordinance a countywide stormwater management plan for Cook County. The countywide plan may incorporate one or more separate watershed plans.

Prior to adopting the countywide stormwater management plan, the District shall hold at least one public hearing thereon and shall afford interested persons an opportunity to be heard.

(d) The District may prescribe by ordinance reasonable rules and regulations for floodplain and stormwater management and for governing the location, width, course, and release rate of all stormwater runoff channels, streams, and basins in Cook County, in accordance with the adopted stormwater management plan. These rules and regulations shall, at a minimum, meet the standards for floodplain management established by the Office of Water Resources of the Department of Natural Resources and the requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.

(e) The District may impose fees on areas outside the District but within Cook County to mitigate the effects of increased stormwater runoff resulting from new development. The fees shall not exceed the cost of satisfying the onsite stormwater retention or detention requirements of the adopted stormwater management plan. The fees shall be used to finance activities undertaken by the District or units of local government within the District to mitigate the effects of urban stormwater runoff by providing regional stormwater retention or detention facilities, as identified in the plan. All such fees collected by the District shall be held in a separate fund and used for implementation of this Section.

(f) Amounts realized from the tax levy for stormwater management purposes authorized in Section 12 may be used by the District for implementing this Section and for the development, design, planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of regional stormwater facilities provided for in the stormwater management plan.

The proceeds of any tax imposed under Section 12 for stormwater management purposes and any revenues generated as a result of the ownership or operation of facilities or land acquired with the proceeds of taxes imposed under Section 12 for stormwater management purposes shall be held in a separate fund and used either for implementing this Section or to abate those taxes.

(g) The District may plan, implement, finance, and operate regional stormwater management projects in accordance with the adopted countywide stormwater management plan.

The District shall provide for public review and comment on proposed stormwater management projects. The District shall conform to State and federal requirements concerning public information, environmental assessments, and environmental impacts for projects receiving State or federal funds.

The District may issue bonds under Section 9.6a of this Act for the purpose of funding stormwater management projects.

The District shall not use Cook County Forest Preserve District land for stormwater or flood control projects without the consent of the Forest Preserve District.

(h) Upon the creation and implementation of a county stormwater management plan, the District may petition the circuit court to dissolve any or all drainage districts created pursuant to the Illinois Drainage Code or predecessor Acts that are located entirely within the District.

However, any active drainage district implementing a plan that is consistent with and at least as stringent as the county stormwater management plan may petition the District for exception from dissolution. Upon filing of the petition, the District shall set a date for hearing not less than 2 weeks, nor more than 4 weeks, from the filing thereof, and the District shall give at least one week's notice of the hearing in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the drainage district, and in addition shall cause a copy of the notice to be personally served upon each of the trustees of the drainage district. At the hearing, the District shall hear the drainage district's petition and allow the drainage district trustees and any interested parties an opportunity to present oral and written evidence. The District shall render its decision upon the petition for exception from dissolution based upon the best interests of the residents of the drainage district. In the event that the exception is not allowed, the drainage district may file a petition with the circuit court within 30 days of the decision. In that case, the notice and hearing requirements for the court shall be the same as provided in this subsection for the petition to the District. The court shall render its decision of whether to dissolve the district based upon the best interests of the residents of the drainage district.

The dissolution of a drainage district shall not affect the obligation of any bonds issued or contracts entered into by the drainage district nor invalidate the levy, extension, or collection of any taxes or special assessments upon the property in the former drainage district. All property and obligations of the former drainage district shall be assumed and managed by the District, and the debts of the former drainage district shall be discharged as soon as practicable.

If a drainage district lies only partly within the District, the District may petition the circuit court to disconnect from the drainage district that portion of the drainage district that lies within the District. The property of the drainage district within the disconnected area shall be assumed and managed by the District. The District shall also assume a portion of the drainage district's debt at the time of disconnection, based on the portion of the value of the taxable property of the drainage district which is located within the area being disconnected.

A drainage district that continues to exist within Cook County shall conform its operations to the countywide stormwater management plan.

(i) The District may assume responsibility for maintaining any stream within Cook County.

(j) The District may, after 10 days written notice to the owner or occupant, enter upon any lands or waters within the county for the purpose of inspecting stormwater facilities or causing the removal of any obstruction to an affected watercourse. The District shall be responsible for any damages occasioned thereby.

(k) The District shall report to the public annually on its activities and expenditures under this Section and the adopted countywide stormwater management plan.

(l) The powers granted to the District under this Section are in addition to the other powers granted under this Act. This Section does not limit the powers of the District under any other provision of this Act or any other law.

(m) This Section does not affect the power or duty of any unit of local government to take actions relating to flooding or stormwater, so long as those actions conform with this Section and the plans, rules, and ordinances adopted by the District under this Section.

A home rule unit located in whole or in part in Cook County (other than a municipality with a population over 1,000,000) may not regulate stormwater management or planning in Cook County in a manner inconsistent with this Section or the plans, rules, and ordinances adopted by the District under this Section; provided, within a municipality with a population over 1,000,000, the stormwater management planning program of Cook County shall be conducted by that municipality or, to the extent provided in an intergovernmental agreement between the municipality and the District, by the District pursuant to this Section; provided further that the power granted to such municipality shall not be inconsistent with existing powers of the District. Pursuant to paragraph (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, this Section specifically denies and limits the exercise of any power that is inconsistent with this Section by a home rule unit that is a county with a population of 1,500,000 or more or is located, in whole or in part, within such a county, other than a municipality with a population over 1,000,000.

(70 ILCS 2605/12) (from Ch. 42, par. 332)

Sec. 12. The board of commissioners annually may levy taxes for corporate purposes upon property within the territorial limits of such sanitary district, the aggregate amount of which, exclusive of the amount levied for (a) the payment of bonded indebtedness and the interest on bonded indebtedness (b) employees' annuity and benefit purposes (c) construction purposes, and (d) for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a reserve fund for the payment of claims, awards, losses, judgments or liabilities which might be imposed on such sanitary district under the Workers' Compensation Act or the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act, and any claim in tort, including but not limited to, any claim imposed upon such sanitary district under the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, and for the repair or replacement of any property owned by such sanitary district which is damaged by fire, flood, explosion, vandalism or any other peril, natural or manmade, shall not exceed the sum produced by extending the rate of .46% for each of the years year 1979 through 2004 and by extending the rate of 0.41% for the year 2005 and each year thereafter, upon the assessed valuation of all taxable property within the sanitary district as equalized and determined for State and local taxes.

In addition, for stormwater management purposes, including but not limited to those provided in subsection (f) of Section 7(h), the board of commissioners may levy taxes for the year 2005 and each year thereafter at a rate not to exceed 0.05% of the assessed valuation of all taxable property within the District as equalized and determined for State and local taxes.

And in addition thereto, for construction purposes as defined in Section 5.2 of this Act, the board of commissioners may levy taxes for the year 1985 and each year thereafter which shall be at a rate not to exceed .10% of the assessed valuation of all taxable property within the sanitary district as equalized and determined for State and local taxes. Amounts realized from taxes so levied for construction purposes shall be limited for use to such purposes and shall not be available for appropriation or used to defray the cost of repairs to or expense of maintaining or operating existing or future facilities, but such restrictions, however, shall not apply to additions, alterations, enlargements, and replacements which will add appreciably to the value, utility, or the useful life of said facilities. Such rates shall be extended against the assessed valuation of the taxable property within the corporate limits as the same shall be assessed and equalized for the county taxes for the year in which the levy is made and said board shall cause the amount to be raised by taxation in each year to be certified to the county clerk on or before the thirtieth day of March; provided, however, that if during the budget year the General Assembly authorizes an increase in such rates, the board of commissioners may adopt a supplemental levy and shall make such certification to the County Clerk on or before the thirtieth day of December.

For the purpose of establishing and maintaining a reserve fund for the payment of claims, awards, losses, judgments or liabilities which might be imposed on such sanitary district under the Workers' Compensation Act or the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act, and any claim in tort, including but not limited to, any claim imposed upon such sanitary district under the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, and for the repair or replacement, where the cost thereof exceeds the sum of $10,000, of any property owned by such sanitary district which is damaged by fire, flood, explosion, vandalism or any other peril, natural or man-made, such sanitary district may also levy annually upon all taxable property within its territorial limits a tax not to exceed .005% of the assessed valuation of said taxable property as equalized and determined for State and local taxes; provided, however, the aggregate amount which may be accumulated in such reserve fund shall not exceed .05% of such assessed valuation.

All taxes so levied and certified shall be collected and enforced in the same manner and by the same officers as State and county taxes, and shall be paid over by the officer collecting the same to the treasurer of the sanitary district, in the manner and at the time provided by the general revenue law. No part of the taxes hereby authorized shall be used by such sanitary district for the construction of permanent, fixed, immovable bridges across any channel constructed under the provisions of this Act. All bridges built across such channel shall not necessarily interfere with or obstruct the navigation of such channel, when the same becomes a navigable stream, as provided in Section 24 of this Act, but such bridges shall be so constructed that they can be raised, swung or moved out of the way of vessels, tugs, boats or other water craft navigating such channel. Nothing in this Act shall be so construed as to compel said district to maintain or operate said bridges, as movable bridges, for a period of 9 years from and after the time when the water has been turned into said channel pursuant to law, unless the needs of general navigation of the Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers, when connected by said channel, sooner require it. In levying taxes the board of commissioners, in order to produce the net amount required by the levies for payment of bonds and interest thereon, shall include an amount or rate estimated to be sufficient to cover losses in collection of taxes, the cost of collecting taxes, abatements in the amount of such taxes as extended on the collector's books and the amount of such taxes collection of which will be deferred; the amount so added for the purpose of producing the net amount required shall not exceed any applicable maximum tax rate or amount.

(Source: P.A. 84-630.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.