STATEHOUSE INSIDER
ISSUES & INSIGHTS FROM THE LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE SCENE
PETER M. MURPHY
IAPD General Counsel
Agreement Ends Legislative Turbulence Over Airport
UNEXPECTEDLY THE VETO
session yielded an issue that clearly put parks at the
center of the storm. Political adversaries Governor
Edgar and Mayor Daley brought to a head an issue
that had been simmering along the sidelines:
whether the highest and best use of Northerly
Island, commonly known as Meigs Field, is for a
park or an airport.
One of the areas of considerable debate regarding Northerly Island is regarding its originally intended use, and a brief historical view of the island's development paints a clear picture.
In 1909 Daniel Burnham's plan for the city of Chicago proposed a string of islands from 12th Street extending to Jackson Park. In 1920, Chicago voters approved referenda to increase property taxes for the purpose of using a landfill to create one such island called "Northerly Island" as a public park.
The landfill was completed by 1925 and was connected to the city by a wooden bridge. In 1993 the Worlds Fair opened in Chicago, utilizing Northerly Island for some of the exhibits. After the fair, park planner Alfred Caldwell designed a park plan for Northerly Island. This plan—the vision of D.H. Burnham—was never implemented due to the outbreak of World War II, and in 1946 the Chicago Park District approved a 50-year lease for Meigs Field on Northerly Island.
The rest, as they say, is history, and the current controversy took off when the lease for Meigs Field expired on September 30, 1996.
During the fall veto session, the Chicago Park District's plans for Northerly Island were thwarted. The Republican controlled legislature, on a partisan roll call vote in both the House and Senate, passed Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 1186 which gave ownership of Meigs Field to the State of Illinois, a bill which Governor Edgar has since signed.
On January 6, the new year brought compromise to the Meigs Field debate when Governor Edgar and Mayor Daley agreed to a plan that would keep the airfield in operation for an additional five years and then return it to the city of Chicago for public use. This action has diverted what promised to be a protracted and costly legal battle over the issue.
Daley reiterated that such public use would be for a park and Edgar restated his position that the economic benefit of Meigs may demonstrate its continued usefulness as an airport.
As the dust settles, one thing remains clear.
The Chicago Park District has lost, atleast for the moment, an opportunity to turn the 91 acres of Northerly Island into one of the most exciting and innovative urban parks in the United States.
NEW GENERAL ASSEMBLY TAKES OFFICE
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On January 8, 1997, new members of the General Assembly were sworn in and the partisan division of the House changed from Republican to Democratic control,with 60 Democrats and 58 Republicans taking office. After losing twelve incumbent and one Democratic open seat in the House in 1994, the Democrats came back in 1996 to defeat five Republican incumbents and pick up one Republican open seat. However, of 118 House races, only 15 new members will be seated, once again demonstrating the power of incumbency in Illinois politics. This is the narrowest margin since the size of the House was reduced to 118 members in 1982. The partisan division of the Senate, with 31 Republicans and 28 Democrats, gives Republicans the same margin that Democrats maintained in the Senate for eight years, from 1985 to 1993. |
In the Senate, one Republican incumbent was defeated and one Republican open seat
12/ Illinois Parks and Recreation
changed parties. In 1996 no Senate Democratic incumbents were defeated.
Rep. Mike Madigan (D-22) was elected speaker of the House and Sen. Pate Philip (R--23) was re-elected president of the Senate.
Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-25) became the first woman elected as majority leader in the House.
Rep. Lee Daniels (R-46) was elected House minority leader and Sen. Emil Jones (D-14) was re-elected leader in the Senate.
New House Members
Edward Acevedo
(Democrat, District 2,Chicago)
Glenn E. Bradford
(D,112,Glen Carbon)
James D. Brosnahan
(D,36,Evergreen Park)
Elizabeth Coulson
(Repulican,57, Glenview)
M. Maggie Crotty
(D,35,0ak Forest)
John A. Fritchey
(D,33.Chicago)
Michael Giglio
(D,79,Lansing)
Renee Kosel
(R,38,New Lenox)
Kevin A. McCarthy
(D,37,Orland Park)
Larry McKeon
(D, 34, Chicago)
Mary K. O'Brien
(D, 75,CoalCity)
George F Scully, Jr.
(D,80,Flossmoor)
Sonia Silva
(D,I,Chicago)
Ricca C. Slone
(D, 92,Peoria Heights)
Corinne G. Wood
(R,59,Lake Forest)
New Senate Members
Debbie DeFrancesco
Halvorson
(D,40,Crete)
Terry Link
(D,30,Vernon Hills)
Barack Obama
(D, 13, Chicago)
Christine Radogno
(R,24,LaGrange)
PLATFORM APPROVED
The IAPD Legislative Platform has been finalized. It represents issues that we will pursue during the new General Assembly. We will also react to a plethora of new bills introduced on behalf of other organizations.
Your involvement this year is critical to our success. Watch for the full legislative platform insert in the March/April IP6-R magazine and plan to attend the Legislative Conference, April 29-30 in Springfield.
Also, add your voice to legislative breakfasts, which the JLC will be organizing in your area during January and February.
An overview of the platform follows. In 1997 park districts and forest preserves will:
• Seek changes in federal child labor regulations to permit minors aged 14 and 15 to more readily work in safe and supervised parks and recreation environments;
• Seek changes in Illinois child labor regulations to achieve the same goal;
• Seek exemptions to IMRF requirements for individuals employed by a park district who are retired from other careers and provide relief for agencies in an overfunded position;
• Oppose changes to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Act which would remove or reduce the limited bonding authority provided for park districts;
• Oppose unfunded mandates;
• Initiate a coalition of associations representing local government and special purpose districts to work together to address the problems arising from the Property Tax Extension Limitation Act;
• Support elimination of prevailing wage requirements; and
• Support amendments to the Tort Immunity Act to clarify local government protections and duties.
FAWELL AND LEITCH NAMED LEGISLATORS OF THE YEAR
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The Illinois Association of Park Districts is proud to recognize Senator Beverly J. Fawell (R,20) as a 1996 "Legislator of the Year." Fawell has sponsored legislation that benefits park districts throughout Illinois and has been a staunch proponent of the value that park districts bring to the state's quality of life and local economies. She has been instrumental in assisting the Wheaton Park District in its acquisition of the 130 acre Lincoln Marsh Natural Area and has worked for legislation that would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work in recreation programs and facilities. |
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Representative David R. Leitch (R,93) strongly supported legislation providing park district programs as an alternative to crime, such as the Peoria Park District's midnight basketball league. He has worked tirelessly to provide funding for the Illinois Bicycle Path Grant Program and the multi-purpose hiking and hiking trails throughout his district. He is a visible doer in his community and takes time to personally attend local events, park/facility dedications and grand openings. • |
January/February 1997 /13
NOVEMBER 5 REFERENDA RESULTS
The results of the referenda submitted to the voters for the General Election held November 5, 1996, are completed. The data for this report was obtained from election authorities and jurisdictional canvassing board abstracts. Of the 291 different referenda proposals, 164 passed and 127 failed. The following is a summary of those referenda affecting park and forest preserve districts.
|
Type |
# Proposals |
Pass/Fail |
|
Taxes |
110 |
54/46 |
|
Bonds |
62 |
35/27 |
|
Miscellaneous |
89 |
59/30 |
|
Advisory |
30 |
16/14 |
|
Type |
#Proposals |
Pass/Fail |
|
School |
60 |
19/41 |
|
County |
37 |
32/5 |
|
Township/Road |
25 |
12/13 |
|
City/Village/Town |
82 |
46/36 |
|
Park District Issues |
23 |
13/12 |
|
Miscellaneous |
69 |
40/29 |
|
Bonds (schools) |
28 |
13/15 |
|
Bonds (other) |
34 |
22/12 |
PARK AND FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT REFERENDA RESULTS
|
County/District |
Type |
Description |
Pass/Fail |
Votes Yes/No |
|
Christian/Assumption....... |
..... misc....... |
... organize park district .................................. |
.... fail............. |
..213/430 |
|
Shelby/Assumption............ |
.....misc......... |
... organize park district.................................. |
.... fail............. |
..73/141 |
|
Cook/City of Berwyn ........ |
..... advisory . |
... combining two park districts ...................... |
.... pass........... |
..8,094/4,148 |
|
Cook/Dolton PD ................. |
..... taxes ....... |
... Increase corporate tax rate not to exceed .25% |
.... fait............. |
1,998/4,476 |
|
Cook/Park Ridge PD |
..... bonds ...... |
...purchase 13.8 acres for $7 million park |
.... fail............. |
7,414/10,057 |
|
Cook/Park Ridge PD ........ |
..... bonds ...... |
.... Hinkley Pool renovation replace filtration system, install heater, renovate bath house |
.... pass........... |
9,408/7,773 |
|
Cook/River Forest PD ...... |
.....bonds ..... |
... purchase real estate .................................... |
.... pass........... |
....3,517/1.358 |
|
Cook/Rolling Meadows PD |
.. advisory |
... voters' right to decide by referendum prior to district outlay for capital projects exceeding 10% of budget |
....pass........... |
...3,861/1,021 |
|
Cook/Bartlett PD ............... |
..... taxes ...... |
... .11% corporate rate increase..................... |
.... pass ........... |
....6,223/4,102 |
|
DuPage/Wood Dale PD... |
.....taxes...... |
... .13% corporate increase to build recreation center |
.... fail............. |
1,163/2,674 |
|
Franklin/W. Frankfort PD |
.....misc........ |
... should existing structure ............................. remain intact for 5 yrs? |
.... pass......... |
.. 2,972/854 |
|
Franklin/W. Frankfort PD |
..... advisory |
... should district renovate pool? .................... |
.... pass......... .. |
...3,186/913 |
|
Franklin/W. Frankfort PD |
..... advisory |
... should district apply for grant to renovate pool? |
.... pass........... |
3,263/790 |
|
Fulton/Canton PD ............. |
..... misc........ |
... sell property ................................................. |
.... pass.......... |
...2,891/1.485 |
|
Kane/Big Rock PD ............ |
..... misc........ |
... organize a park district............................. |
.... pass.......... |
...558 / 274 |
|
Kane/Plato PD ................... |
..... misc........ |
... organize a park district .............................. |
.... pass.......... |
... 862/701 |
|
Kane/Sugar Grove PD..... |
.....taxes ...... |
... increase corporate levy................................ |
.... fail............ |
...999/1,723 |
|
McHenry/Harvard PD ...... |
..... misc........ |
... organize a park district .............................. |
.... fail ............ |
...1,705 / 1,733 |
|
McHenry/Harvard PD...... |
..... taxes ...... |
...establish aggregate tax extension not to exceed $259,560 for 1,996 levy year |
....fail ............ |
1,423/1,852 |
|
McHenry/Marengo PD.... |
..... taxes...... |
... .03% increase for pool ............................. |
..... pass.......... |
... 937/864 |
|
Ogle/Oregon PD.............. |
..... taxes ...... |
... added police protection............................ |
...... fail ............ |
...680/2,120 |
|
Will/Manhattan PD........... |
..... taxes ...... |
... .075% corporate increase .......................... |
.....fait ............ |
....792/1,056 |
|
Will/Mokena PD............... |
..... bonds ..... |
... purchase of property and improvements |
..... pass .......... |
...3,179/3,129 |
|
Will/Plainfield PD............. |
.....bonds...... |
... building community center.......................... |
.....fail............ |
...4,421 / 5,088 |
14/ Illinois Parks and Recreation
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