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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 28
2
(As Amended by Senate Amendment No. 2)

 
3    WHEREAS, Illinois has more units of local government than
4any state in the country, numbered at over 7,000; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds that consolidation of
6units of local government will result in cost-saving for the
7taxpayers; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds that consolidation of
9units of local government shall only occur with no reduction in
10the quality of service to taxpayers; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Lake County and the 31st Legislative District
12would benefit from a study assessing how specific units of
13local government may be consolidated or dissolved; therefore,
14be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
16ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
17CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Working Group on Local Government
18Consolidation is created to identify ways to eliminate barriers
19to consolidation and resolve certain discrepancies in the
20Illinois statutes governing local governments and special
21districts in Lake County and the 31st Legislative District; and

 

 

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1be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, The Working Group shall consist of the following
3members:
4        (1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President
5    of the Senate, who shall serve as chair;
6        (2) one member of the Senate appointed by the Senate
7    Minority Leader;
8        (3) one member of the House of Representatives
9    appointed by the Speaker of the House;
10        (4) one member of the House of Representatives
11    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;
12        (5) one member selected from recommendations provided
13    by the Lake County Board appointed by the Governor;
14        (6) one member selected from recommendations provided
15    by the Lake County Forest Preserve District appointed by
16    the Governor;
17        (7) three members from local townships appointed by the
18    Governor;
19        (8) two members from local fire protection districts
20    appointed by the Governor;
21        (9) two members from local park districts appointed by
22    the Governor;
23        (10) one member selected by the College of Lake County
24    appointed by the Governor;
25        (11) two members from local elementary school

 

 

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1    districts selected by recommendations provided by the
2    Superintendent of Schools appointed by the Governor; and
3        (12) two members from local high school districts
4    selected by recommendations provided by the Superintendent
5    of Schools appointed by the Governor; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, The Working Group shall meet periodically but no
7less than once every 3 months; the group shall meet in
8accordance with the requirements of the Open Meetings Act; and
9be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Revenue shall
11provide administrative support and technical assistance to the
12Working Group; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, The Working Group shall accept testimony and
14evidence from third parties, including comments from the public
15at large, in crafting their report to the General Assembly; and
16be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Working Group shall submit their report
18to the General Assembly no later than October 1, 2016; the
19report shall include findings including, but not limited to,
20the following issues as they occur in Lake County:
21        (1) an assessment of the number of units of local
22    government and the costs associated with each unit,

 

 

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1    including salaries, expenses, and operating costs;
2        (2) an assessment of the units of local government that
3    are engaged in intergovernmental cooperation efforts and
4    what, if any, cost savings such partnerships have resulted
5    in;
6        (3) recommendations for the elimination of barriers to
7    consolidation;
8        (4) recommendations for the streamlining or
9    consolidation of units of local government; and
10        (5) recommendations for intergovernmental cooperation
11    potential.