Legislation geared towards abolishing townships

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The red area represents Thornton Township in Cook County, IL. According to Thornton Township spokesman Bob Storman, the township is a safety net for thousands of residents and provides a plethora of social services, free of charge to residents.
The red area represents Thornton Township in Cook County, IL. According to Thornton Township spokesman Bob Storman, the township is a safety net for thousands of residents and provides a plethora of social services, free of charge to residents.

by SheRico Jones

Rafael Rivadeneira, president of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois, is calling for the abolishment of township government. Illinois Senate Bill 173 reads: Multiple layers of units of local government can be inefficient and lead to a duplication of services For each unit of local government included on the recommended list, the Commission must set forth whether the unit of local government is to be abolished or consolidated. If this bill is passed, township governments will be consolidated and taken over by county and state governments.

Im calling for Illinois to abolish Township Governmentdue to its waste, ineffectiveness, and constant misuse of your hard-earned dollars, Rivadeneira said on his website.

Township governments are small, localized units of government that are found primarily in the Midwest and in northeastern states. In Cook County, there are a total of 30 townships. Townships are funded by tax payers and have recently come under fire for what the Better Government Association (BGA) referred to as nepotism in an ABC news report.

They incur multiple salaries, they get multiple pensions and benefits and have multiple relatives on payroll, Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica told ABC news. Its a family business.

In 2009, ABC news and the Better Government Association investigated the allocation of tax payers money in township governments. Their findings were that the majority of the money is used to pay salaries; and that some of the offices that tax dollars fund, dont do anything.

But Thornton Township spokesman Bob Storman said, township government was the first form of government established in the United States. People, especially the elderly are looking for friendly personal service, he said.

Thornton Township is the largest township in Illinois, according to its website.

Look at the state, look at nepotism among state leaders. Look how many daughters, sons, aunts and uncles who can inherit political power, Storman said. Look at how governments are being ran. When people want to talk about nepotism, its one big joke when thats the only thing they can find wrong [with township governments]. Lets deal with some real issues, Storman continued.

Why would we want to abolish an agency that provides services that help everybody without a deficit? he added. We transport seniors to work, to the hospital, stores, barber shops and beauty shops [and] we drop them off and pick them back up. Thornton Township offers more social services than anyone else in the state, he said.

According to Storman, Thornton Township has programs to assist residents in paying their utility bills and rent. They also offer over 150 jobs for and give out vouchers for clothing, furniture and food.

What are you going to do to make it better? Create another deficit? State and county governments have a budget deficit, we do not, he said. . There is no debt at Thornton Township; all of our bills are paid. Can the state say that? Can the county say that?

Senate Bill 173 is still in the senate. At the last reading of the bill, voting resulted in 14yeas and 30 nays. Storman encourages citizens and politicians alike to get involved.

Im asking mayors to step up and say no to this bill, he said. Residents, contact your state reps and say no to abolishing townships.

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