Director's Desk KENNETH A. ALDERSON, Executive Director
UNFUNDED STATE MANDATES . . .
NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTINUE THE EFFORT
On July 20, 1996, the Illinois Municipal League
Board of Directors met and a decision was made to
continue the unfunded state mandates effort. The future of local government is at a crossroads with the federal devolution and restrictions on local tax revenues
via property tax caps. The past and recent actions of
the federal and state governments clearly illustrates to
local officials that mandates will continue to come
without funding and basically no regard for how local
officials are to pay for the cost.
The Board of Directors and staff of the League
will continue to work with local municipal officials to
make unfunded state mandates a key issue for the next
General Assembly. The League will be preparing materials for your use to take the message to citizens, and
more importantly, to candidates running for the
Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives. It is
imperative that before a new General Assembly is
elected candidates publicly indicate their position on
stopping unfunded state mandates.
The Municipal League will be forwarding informational materials to your municipality. The overall
strategy is to work on meaningful changes to the State
Mandates Act in 1997 and seek passage of a Constitutional Amendment in 1998. The effort to accomplish
these goals will only be successful if we continue to
work together and encourage citizen participation.
While many municipal officials are extremely disappointed the Unfunded State Mandates Constitutional
Amendment did not pass both chambers in identical
form, this is not the time to give up on the issue. We
must view the success we did have as having taken a giant step forward, and we will continue to strive, step by
step, until we accomplish our mutual goals. •
August 1996 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 5
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