NY State leads the way making it easier to consolidate local governments

Add comment June 5th, 2009

Illinois’ thousands of local governments duplicate services and operate inefficiently. But trying to consolidate government services is like pulling teeth because the local politicians like things the way they are, with thousands of special service taxing districts and townships. There’s no need for nearly 1,000 school districts, but we still have ‘em. Townships once were necessary, but they no longer are. But township governments are a convenient parking place for political flunkies, has-beens and never-will be’s,  so we still have them.

With declining tax revenue and a recession that’s getting deeper, we can’t afford all this local government! It’s time for Illinois lawmakers to cut the size of local government by passing a consolidation bill that allows local taxing districts to consolidate easily.

Incredibly, New York State is leading the way. NY, with 10,000 local taxing districts, is even more overburdened with inefficient local governments than Illinois, which has more than 7,000.  So, the Empire State’s lawmakers have passed a bill that streamlines the process for local consolidation. Read about it in this NYTimes editorial.

It will become law — assuming Gov. David Paterson signs it.