Research & Publications -> On-going Research -> Issues Facing Township Governments in Illinois

Issues Facing Township Governments in Illinois

Robin A. Johnson and Norman Walzer

Project Abstract

Township governments provide essential services, especially to sparsely populated rural areas in 20 states, located mainly in the Midwest. Rural roads and brides are often provided by townships but they also provide a variety of services related to health, youth, and senior citizens Because of slow growth in property tax bases, many townships have had to adopt innovative practices in providing services. These include intergovernmental agreements as well as contracting for services with the private sector.

To better understand the types of issues faced by township governments in Illinois, the Institute collaborated with the Township Officials of Illinois and Robin Johnson, a governmental researcher and consultant, on a survey of 1,433 township governments. The survey, mailed in 2002, obtained a response rate of 41 percent.

The questionnaire addressed a multitude of issues including infrastructure, economic trends, governmental management practices, intergovernmental agreements, and other concerns facing township officials. The responses have been tabulated by population size and region of the state.

Deliverables from Project

This project will generate several products:

• First, a relatively brief report will be prepared for use by township supervisors to compare management practices in their township with others around the state.
• Second, a longer and more in-depth analysis of the findings will be prepared to make the public aware of the services provided by township governments and the roles that they play in various regions of the state.
• Third, a series of articles will be published in the Township and County Officials magazine in 2003 to brief readers on specific issues and concerns.

This project should be completed by December 2003.