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Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening avenues of information for citizens of Illinois that have been closed to public view. Governments at all levels are inclined to keep facts and data out of the hands of voters and taxpayers. Transparency of government operations is not the norm, and policies are in place to prevent serious public scrutiny. Thanks to AI, those days are largely over. By asking AI (Grok) specific questions about Illinois, the findings are:
Size of Government: Illinois state
In a study by the Civic Federation, drawing upon data from IL state resources, the Census Bureau, and other sources, it is reported that the state of Illinois has 8943 local government taxing units. The scope of units includes 102 counties, 1426 townships, 1298 municipalities, 6097 special districts (school, fire, library, parks, etc). All these government units often overlap, have paid board members for operations, and authority to tax and issue bonds. Why so many special districts? If a municipality or township wants to expand operations while avoiding blame for raising taxes, it can create a special district with taxing authority.
How does Illinois compare to the nation?
- Illinois ranks in first place for total units of government, with 8943 overall. The national average for fifty states is 1818 units.
- There are 90,887 total government units in fifty states. Illinois accounts for almost 10% of total government units at the state level.
How can we explain the vast number of government units now operating in Illinois? Over the past few decades, the political class of Illinois has amassed a full range of government roles that employ tens of thousands of loyal workers who can be counted on to actively engage in electioneering to assure majority party control of the powers of government. Achieving first place honors for size of state government took:
- Seven+ decades of one party (Democratic) control of the statewide government apparatus, and
- A complicit Republican party that completely failed to oppose growth of government in the state
Size of Government: Kane County IL
Kane county IL is in the western suburbs of Chicagoland area, one of the five collar counties that surround Cook County. It ranks as the fifth largest county in Illinois, with 500,000+ residents. How is Kane County governed?
- The central government is based in Geneva and governed by a County Board and various elected officials
- Core services of the Board include property assessment, elections, roads, planning and zoning, health department functions, forest preserve, courts and more
- Municipalities that provide services such as police, fire, water/sewer, zoning, include Aurora, Batavia, Elgin, Geneva and St. Charles
- Twenty-five villages including Algonquin, Carpentersville, East and West Dundee, Campton Hills, Huntley, and more
- Sixteen Townships including Aurora, Batavia, Burlington, St. Charles, Hampshire, Sugar Grove and more
- Nine school districts for K-12 education
- Special Districts for fire protection, libraries, parks, sanitary/sewer and more
In a study using data from the census bureau and other resources:
- There are 3244 counties in the US
- The average number of government units supported by a county is 30
- The average number of government units for the ten largest states is 60
- Kane County has 300+ government units to support largely through property taxes
How is it possible that the Kane County Board supports 300+ government units, which is 10X the national average, or 5X greater than the average units supported by the largest ten states? Illinois has too much government!
What can be done?
There is no evidence that the political class of Illinois will do anything that adversely impacts their grip on power and spending. Both parties support the status quo. If Illinois made a positive commitment to reform, here’s a short list of where to focus:
- Reduce taxing entities to provide relief to families and businesses.
- What would happen if all Townships were ended? Or any level of government units? Move the roles to other units.
- What would happen if forty or so counties were consolidated? End millions of spending on county level government.
- Collapse and consolidate other government units, end overlaps and duplications, reduce staff, improve efficiencies of functions.
- Reduce the tax burden based on the spending cuts from the actions noted.
If the role of state government is full employment for public sector employees, then its “Mission Accomplished!” But if the role of state government is to serve the best interests of the citizenry, then desperate changes in Illinois government structure are needed!
Bill Broderick
