Special Districts
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Legislator’s Guide to Local Governments in Illinois SPECIAL DISTRICTS Illinois Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation http://www.legis.state.il.us/commission/igcc/igcc_home.html TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................i Preface........................................................................................................................................................ii Introduction ................................................................................................................................................iii Using This Guide .......................................................................................................................................v Airport Authorities .....................................................................................................................................1 Cemetery Maintenance Districts ................................................................................................................4 Civic Center Authorities.............................................................................................................................6 Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority ..............................................................................................10 Conservation Districts ................................................................................................................................12 Drainage Districts.......................................................................................................................................14 Fire Protection Districts..............................................................................................................................28 Forest Preserve Districts.............................................................................................................................41 Cook County Forest Preserve District........................................................................................................43 Hospital Districts........................................................................................................................................45 Library Districts .........................................................................................................................................47 Mass Transit Districts.................................................................................................................................52 Metro East Mass Transit District................................................................................................................54 Regional Transportation Authority.............................................................................................................56 Mosquito Abatement Districts....................................................................................................................58 Multi-township Assessment Districts.........................................................................................................60 Museum Districts .......................................................................................................................................64 County Historical Museum Districts ..........................................................................................................66 Park Districts ..............................................................................................................................................68 Chicago Park District .................................................................................................................................74 Port Districts...............................................................................................................................................76 Public Health Districts................................................................................................................................79 Rescue Squad Districts...............................................................................................................................81 River Conservancy Districts.......................................................................................................................83 Road Districts.............................................................................................................................................85 Sanitary Districts ........................................................................................................................................88 Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago ....................................................................................92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts .......................................................................................................94 Solid Waste Disposal Districts ...................................................................................................................98 Street Lighting Districts .............................................................................................................................100 Surface Water Protection Districts .............................................................................................................102 Tuberculosis Sanitarium Districts ..............................................................................................................104 Water Authorities .......................................................................................................................................106 County Water Commissions.......................................................................................................................108 Public Water Districts ................................................................................................................................110 Water Service Districts...............................................................................................................................112 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ..........................................................................................................................115 i PREFACE This guide is intended to serve as an overview of special districts in Illinois. It is not intended to be a statement of all existing laws as they relate to special districts. Instead, citations are provided so that the reader can consult the Illinois Compiled Statutes for the exact language used. Given the difficulty of interpreting state statutes and attempting to summarize complex details, errors may still exist. It is hoped the readers will bring any discrepancies to the attention of the staff. By compiling this information, the Commission has attempted to identify a universe of Illinois special districts and to clarify service delivery responsibilities among the various types. It is hoped that this guide will provide a useful resource for legislations and other officials involved in making decisions affecting local governments and, ultimately, will assist in improving state and local coordination in providing essential public services. ii INTRODUCTION With over 6800 independent governmental units in operation, Illinois has the distinction of having more local governments than any other state. According to the latest information available from the U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois has 102 counties, 1,433 townships, 1,288 municipalities, 944 school districts, and 3,068 independent special districts. While the Illinois Constitution establishes the basic framework for local governments, the actual authorization for establishment and organization of such units is provided in the Illinois Compiled Statutes. Local governments are key partners in our intergovernmental system. They maintain and enhance the quality of life of Illinois residents by providing vital public services. Police, fire, sewer, water, emergency, and road services are among the most visible, but by no means the only services they provide. Local governments are finding themselves squeezed by increasing demands for services at a time when both federal and state aid is declining, and resistance to local tax increases is growing. Many local governments are looking to the state for relief. In order to determine the best course of action, state policy makers need to know as much as possible about local government operations. This guide is part of the Commission’s ongoing mission to provide the reader with a glimpse at the internal structure of local government in Illinois. This guide covers special districts, the most numerous and least understood of all local governments. The guide provides information on the establishment, dissolution, governance, powers, and financing of special districts. It also includes a tentative listing of the districts by county. Special Districts Special Districts differ from general-purpose governments such as counties and municipalities in that they provide a single service or group of services. The functions they undertake range from basic services such as fire protection and water supply to more quality-of-life enhancing services like historic preservation and mosquito abatement. The delegates of the 1970 Illinois Constitutional Convention sought to put the brakes on the increase in the number of special districts by lifting tax