Proposed state legislation would provide a clearer path for Evanston to fold its township government into City Hall, but its author is expecting a tough fight in the General Assembly.
Jeff Schoenberg, D-Evanston, introduced the bill on Feb. 1 at the request of city officials. To eliminate a township government, state law requires voters from the entire county to participate in a binding referendum. Schoenberg’s bill would limit it only to Evanston residents, as well as outline how to transfer township services and responsibility to city government.
“It seems only appropriate that the community’s residents be asked to weigh in on a local matter, instead of throwing the question open to voters throughout the entire Cook County,” Schoenberg said.
The legislation is unlikely to be considered before another referendum — this one advisory only — that goes before Evanston voters March 20 to poll their opinion about folding township government, and all the services it provides, into city government.
Evanston Township is “coterminous” with the city, meaning they share a border. In addition, the two governments share a board of trustees — the city council is also the township board.
Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said a city study shows that folding the township into City Hall would result in cost savings of “several hundred thousand” dollars. He declined to be more specific, saying he is prohibited from appearing to advocate for or against the referendum question.
Potential costs savings exist in “overhead involved in another level of government that is coterminous to the city,” Bobkiewicz said.
If the advisory referendum is approved, the city will actively promote Schoenberg’s Senate Bill 2874 in Springfield, Bobkiewicz said. If not, “then likely we’ll let that pass,” he said.
Schoenberg was not overflowing with positivity over his legislation’s chances.
“I do think it’s an uphill climb, because the Township Officials of Illinois will mobilize not only their supporters within Cook County, but township officials throughout the entire state to urge their senators and representatives to defeat the legislation,” he said.
The Township Officials of Illinois is a not-for-profit advocacy organization based in Springfield. Its executive director, Bryan E. Smith, confirmed the group plans to actively fight Schoenberg’s bill.
He questioned whether there are significant cost savings to be had.
“If that’s what they’re banking on, I just don’t see how they can do it,” Smith said.
Some township services, particularly in the assessor’s office, require employees with specific qualifications. And providing general assistance is not a simple task, he added.
“If they’re going to be either turning those responsibilities over to the city, is that going to cause those salaries to go up? I don’t know,” Smith said. “There are just a lot of unanswered questions with the whole thing.”
Of the 1,433 units of township government, only 20 are coterminous with a municipality. Of those, there are only 11 where the two bodies share a board of trustees, Smith said.
