By: Diane Benjamin
One target for reform championed by Gov Rauner is decreasing the units of government in Illinois. See this report by the Illinois Policy Institute: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/too-much-government-illinois-thousands-of-local-governments/. Illinois has too many units and they cost taxpayers way more than necessary.
On the Illinois Comptroller’s website is a tab labelled The Local Government Warehouse: http://www.ioc.state.il.us/ Just for Bloomington the following units are listed:
Bloomington – A City in McLean County
Bloomington – A Township in McLean County
Bloomington City – A Township in McLean County
Bloomington (City of) – A Housing Authority in McLean County
Bloomington Twp – A Fire Protection District in McLean County
Bloomington-Normal – A Airport Authority in McLean County
Bloomington-Normal – A Water Reclamation District in McLean County
All of these units require tax money, a lot of it is spent on administration. Some units are audited, some aren’t. Many can “fly under the radar” of citizens because it isn’t clear what they do. Holding government accountable for how tax money is spent is much more difficult when it goes to numerous places.
Bloomington Township
Administration $150,439
Total Expenses $276,587
Revenues $453,403 (Mostly taxes)
Not audited
Bloomington City – A Township in McLean County
Administration $1,096,829
Social Welfare $1,577,931
Total Expenses $2,872,110
Revenues $2,726,439 (Mostly taxes)
Audited
Bloomington (City of) Housing Authority
Total Expenditures $5,715,982 NO other information is listed!
Not audited
Bloomington Twp Fire Protection District
Public Safety $370,218
Revenues $413,328 (Mostly taxes)
Serving a population of 3,176
Employees: 22
No audit was submitted
Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority
Administration $2,700,777
Transportation/Public Works $1,403.260
Debt Payments $2.070,850
Capital Outlays $6,143,847
Depreciation $34,462
Total Expenses $12,353,196
Charges for services $3,608,176
Taxes $3,461,577
Interest $5,441
Inter Government $4,460,713
Fines $295
Other $4,900
Total Revenue $11,541,102
Audited
Bloomington-Normal – A Water Reclamation District in McLean County
Administration $1,465,034
Environment $5,136,135
Debt Payments $998,725
Depreciation $2,156,636
Other $15,220
Total Expenses $ 9,771,750
Revenue from taxes $4,697,833
Licenses and Permits $1,315,191
Charges for services $7,723,902
Interest $8,952
Misc (31,030)
Total Revenue $13,714,848
Audited
Normal is part of the last two listed. Normal also shows a Township and a Drainage District.
The Bloomington Cemetery District was dissolved in 2006.
WOW
Rauner better be looking at Unit 5 and 87 school districts as well. Its time the two of those merge and get rid of some of the potted plants that are robbing taxpayers blind esp. Unit 5 board they are leaches on the tax payers back. While Rauners at it take a peek at Hartland Board they are a community college (stress the word community) They think they are ISU and r sucking taxpayers dry!
Community colleges in Illinois need to get back to the original funding model. This means the state needs to step up and honor it. 1/3 tuition, 1/3 local taxes, and 1/3 state funding. That’s how they were started, and that’s how they should be funded now. If you want sports, find external funding, don’t charge students and local taxpayers for them.