Township government is often about neighbors helping neighbors. From the quality of schools and libraries to the parks we enjoy, we rely on local leaders to make decisions that align with the priorities of their constituents. Township government is a crucial part of this framework.
It’s the most local, most accountable, and most efficient form of government we have. That’s exactly why Governor JB Pritzker wants to destroy it.
Governor JB Pritzker has repeatedly pushed Chicago-centric, one-size-fits-all solutions to problems he deems important, often to bolster his national political profile. This year, Governor Pritzker has supported two anti-township bills that would strip away local control over vital issues like road maintenance and property assessments, consolidating power at higher levels of government.
Senate Bill 2217 would dissolve all townships with populations under 5,000 and merge them either with adjacent townships or with the county. Senate Bill 2504, also backed by Pritzker, seeks to abolish the offices of township assessors and multi-township assessors in counties with populations under 50,000, transferring their responsibilities to county assessors.
Make no mistake: this isn’t “streamlining.” It’s a power grab.
During his February Budget Address, Governor Pritzker championed these proposals, claiming they would reduce the number of units of government in Illinois. However, his rhetoric is misleading and disingenuous. This is the same governor who has overseen a 33% increase in state spending since taking office, ballooning the size of state government rather than streamlining it.
Why does Pritzker hate township government? Simple. It works. Township government is efficient, without the bloated overhead and union mandates seen at the state level. Townships can maintain roads at a fraction of the cost because they avoid red tape and political influence. Without being bound by state and county unionized labor laws, they allocate tax dollars more efficiently, with non-union labor driving down the cost per mile of road maintenance and stretching taxpayers’ dollars further. And when local officials don’t do their job, voters don’t have to wait four years for some distant politician to notice — they can vote them out immediately at the next local election.
Additionally, Senate Bills 2217 and 2504 are unnecessary. Illinois already has laws in place to facilitate citizen-led township consolidation and/or elimination efforts. These existing measures provide a more localized approach to governance, one that empowers local voters rather than government bureaucrats.
While Governor Pritzker wants to consolidate power and limit local control, it is more important than ever that we protect local layers of government so we can ensure the needs of our communities are met effectively and efficiently.
That’s democracy. That’s freedom. But Pritzker doesn’t trust you to make those decisions. He wants to make them for you.
We don’t need more power in Springfield. We need more power in the hands of the people.
