Macon County Shared Vision

Cease Fire... Cease Spending...

MCSV was asked to spread the word that a rally is planned for Monday evening at 5:30 at 1212 North Edward to get the message out "No more Shootings .. in our community". We always applaud anyone getting involved and expressing their point of view. So.. if you have time.. consider joining this rally to call for less crime and a better quality of life in our community. The "Cease Fire" initiative in Decatur and Macon County, funded with state grants, intends to send workers into Decatur areas where crime prevention is needed.

MCSV focuses on four local policy topics that limit the competitiveness of our community to attract investment, jobs and new people. Local crime and crime prevention is not one of MCSV focus areas.  Perhaps it should be.

More importantly, we wish it was also a focus area for the legislative bodies of local government.

We can't recall* a recent major conversation by any governmental unit or leader to draw attention to safety and crime prevention.

One citizen remarked: ".. you know you have a crime problem when you have to stop and think which pharmacy you send your spouse to get a prescription.."

Wouldn't it be interesting if someone in government called for a "study session" or town hall forum on crime and crime prevention solutions in Decatur? Crime prevention strategies might be a good item for the City Council agenda or a study session.

(*We must confess that with 176 units of government, we may have missed one talking about it... but that's another discussion ... another day...)

We hear lots of discussion about spending taxpayer money on things that are intended to improve Decatur or Macon County. Lets divert a little attention to those matters that put us at a competitive disadvantage to other communities. We need a discussion about priorities, impact, & accountability. Lets look at the spending list:

1. Forsyth Lake Project (aka NorthLake Project) - $70 million or more
2. Accelerated Dredging Lake Decatur - $50 million or more
3. New Decatur Police Department - $ 10 million
4. Mound Center - $10 million or more
5. 300 North Water - $ 8 million or more
6. Farm Progress Site - $ 6 million or more
7. West Main Corridor $3 million or more
8. Fix Transfer House facade $480,000
9. Lets not forget Wabash Crossing - price tag???

Of course, you have to spend money to make money. But shouldn't our community make money with all these investments. We have looked everywhere for evidence of money being returned to the community for these investments. We have scanned the paper, the council minutes and even in the back of our desk drawer...can't find it.

Taxpayer money spent to improve the community and spur investment and growth may be a good thing. Are the items on the above list the best priorities for Decatur and Macon County? Are we measuring whether the return on investment is adequate for the tax burden associated with these items?

What would be the result of an additional investment in more police officers? Lets be clear. People and businesses only move to communities that are attractive to live in. Attractive refers to economic appeal and other quality of life factors like safety, education, environment and entertainment options. We should consider all these variables and use scarce taxpayer resources to improve our quality of life and local economy.

The discussion of building a new Decatur Police Department deserves full public scrutiny. Instead of building a new duplicate police/justice facility, perhaps we should simply put more officers on the street. Wouldn't that be in important debate in our local government.

Lets debate. Maybe we can help our police officers with a little more help on the street.

See a subsequent post for a discussion of government spending, borrowing and taxes.

Must Read; We Can Do It

This week, starting Sunday, the Decatur Herald & Review has presented effectively the issues and benefits of talking about government consolidation. We will be posting more information on this topic for everyone's consideration.

We believe that the paper has done a real service to the community by highlighting this issue in the community. If we as citizens and taxpayers could come together and encourage and support elected leaders in beginning the process of consolidation of the myriad of governments here in Macon County, we could begin the process of meaningful change.

Its important to consider all the benefits of reducing the layers and overlap of government. They include:

• Greater voter interest and influence in local government due to increased access and knowledge (i.e. knowing who to talk to)
• More effective economic development due to clarity of responsibility
• Greater transparency into government activities (simply less units to wade through)
• Decreased taxes due to lower costs of government

Some question whether consolidation will save costs and lower taxes. No matter what you hear, IT WILL. With the substantial number of governments and overlapping jurisdiction and redundancies, there is no doubt that costs can be reduced and taxes as well.

The Herald and Review editorial today makes an excellent case for voter empowerment and action to call on our leaders to embrace this initiative now. We will take up this challenge and encourage everyone else in Macon County to as well.

Are there Dinosaurs in Macon County?

Townships, as a form of government, appears to be a dinosaur to a fair minded person.  MCSV believes that we should question the efficiency and effectiveness of all local government. Consolidation or greater intergovernmental cooperation is a tool to improve our local governments. Townships are notorious
for being inefficient. Not only do they overlap with other governments, they also contribute to confusion about local responsibility. Townships result from a historical and political tradition from the 18th century. If starting from scratch today, it is unlikely that townships would exist. Society, technology and the nation have evolved. Only 20 states use a township system (under Acts of Congress passed in the late 1790s). Seventeen counties in Illinois do not have any townships. Current state law permits the elimination of townships if voted upon by taxpayers.
   

Time to Consolidate? If not now; when?

MCSV believes that a local discussion about the benefits of government unification/consolidation in Macon County would be enlightening. Macon County has over 80 taxing districts and meaningful voter apathy fueled partly by the lack of direct knowledge of "who does what". Nearly everyone has heard of a call to an elected leader where the response was "we are not responsible for that". The mere discussion would likely lead to opportunities for more inter-government cooperation that would realize some of the same benefits of consolidation. Consolidation would improve our community by:

• Decreasing the cost of government and local property taxes
• Improving the coordination of economic development efforts
• Enhancing voter interest in local matters due to focused accountability

A summary of the history of government consolidation can be found at CityMayors.com.

The Conclusion of the article written by Mayraj Fahim is as follows:

"Consolidation on its own in the modern era is an inadequate tool to apply in regions where the dynamics of suburbanisation eventually overcome this encompassing effort to contain the inequitable beneficiaries of development over others in the region. The cost saving/efficiency potential is what drives the consolidation debate in the US, which is more evident when small units consolidate. In general, however, where the local vote is part of the picture, the norm is defeat at the ballot box. Where consolidation has taken place by winning approval at the ballot box, local conditions have shaped such situations so that the hand of those proposing it is strengthened."

If you are interested in receiving the whole article email us.

Study of Illinois Government Unification Needed

As originally published in our first blog last summer (2005).

The Illinois House and Senate passed legislation last summer to establish a committee to study the benefits in Illinois of local government unification/consolidation. The Governor signed the legislation in late July. MCSV believes that this is an important first step in the process of modifying our laws to permit local governments to study and adopt consolidation plans.

Illinois has more local government units that most states in the US. In Macon County (which is typical) we have townships, cities, park districts and numerous school districts. Macon County has over 80 taxing districts, hundreds of elected officials and citizens that have virtually no chance to influence their elected officials.

For example, many counties in Indiana, Florida and other states have only one school district per county. Imagine Macon County with one school district, one police or fire department. Imagine the reduced confusion if voters could contact one elected official to discuss their taxes. Imagine if the City of Decatur and Macon County were a combined governmental entity with one executive and a single legislative body.

One clear advantage would be to improve the funds available to education. As discussed elsewhere in this BLOG, education reform is essential to improve the competitiveness and quality of life in Macon County. Both Decatur and other Macon County schools have great individual schools, but the cost of administration can be twice as high in school districts with less than 10,000 students (which is the case of all six county school districts - including Decatur). Fewer school districts not only increase educational alternatives for our kids, but also decreased funds used in administration. That leaves more funds for education in the classroom.

The benefits of possible consolidation of government units are significant and include:

• Reduced cost of local government and lower taxes
• Improves public/voter awareness of elected officials and responsibility
• Enhanced interest in election process and reduced voter apathy
• Prompt responsiveness to economic development initiatives
• Greater accountability of elected officials to voters and citizens
• Increased investment, growth and economic prosperity in the county
• Statewide interest in Macon County for pioneering efforts to be a growth county

Government Unification is an important concept for Macon County and its future as a leading growth county in Illinois. We must support this study and process. Ask elected officials to support it.

On the way to reduced number of governments is the need to expect our units of government to collaborate much more to address the important needs of the entire county.