July 17, 2018

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate

100th General Assembly:

Today I veto Senate Bill 2368 from the 100th General Assembly, which would alter the composition of the Metro East Sanitary District’s Board of Commissioners. There is no evidence that such a change would be in the best interests of the district at large.

As currently comprised, the District is being effectively managed and has made great strides toward financial stability that will allow it to better address the needs of those it serves going forward. This change to state law is both unnecessary and inappropriate as a politically-motivated maneuver that will undercut the good work of the Board of Commissioners.

Currently, the District’s Board of Commissioners has five members with two appointed by the St. Clair County Board Chairman and three appointed by the Madison County Board Chairman, and the law already puts limits on appointees of the same political party. This legislation would unjustifiably strip Madison County of one appointee and designate the mayor of the largest city in the county with the highest equalized assessed valuation as an ex officio commissioner, granting a single municipality undue influence over decisions that affect a much broader population. In the immediate future, that position would be given to the mayor of Granite City, who already serves as the Chairman of the Granite City Regional Wastewater Treatment Board.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 2368, entitled “AN ACT concerning government”, with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR