102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2556

 

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Melinda Bush

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
70 ILCS 805/13.1  from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6324

    Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Provides that forest preserve districts with a population of less than 3,000,000 may levy taxes for general corporate purposes after referendum for a fiscal year not exceeding the rate of .08% (rather than .06%) of the value of the taxable property. Provides that forest preserve districts having a population of 100,000 or more but less than 3,000,000 may levy taxes for specified purposes after referendum not exceeding the rate of .045% (rather than .025%) of the assessed value of all taxable property. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Downstate Forest Preserve District Act is
5amended by changing Section 13.1 as follows:
 
6    (70 ILCS 805/13.1)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6324)
7    Sec. 13.1. Tax levies. After the first Monday in October
8and by the first Monday in December in each year, the board
9shall levy the general taxes for the district by general
10categories for the next fiscal year. A certified copy of the
11levy ordinance shall be filed with the county clerk by the last
12Tuesday in December each year.
13    In forest preserve districts with a population of less
14than 3,000,000, the amount of taxes levied for general
15corporate purposes for a fiscal year may not exceed the rate of
16.08% .06% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the
17Department of Revenue, of the taxable property therein. In
18addition, in forest preserve districts having a population of
19100,000 or more but less than 3,000,000, the board may levy
20taxes for constructing, restoring reconditioning,
21reconstructing and acquiring improvements and for the
22development of the forests and lands of such district, the
23amount of which tax each fiscal year shall be extended at a

 

 

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1rate not to exceed .045% .025% of the assessed value of all
2taxable property as equalized by the Department of Revenue.
3    All such taxes and rates are exclusive of the taxes
4required for the payment of the principal of and interest on
5bonds, and exclusive of taxes levied for employees' annuity
6and benefit purposes.
7    The rate of tax levied for general corporate purposes in a
8forest preserve district may not be increased by virtue of
9this amendatory Act of 1977 unless the board first adopts a
10resolution authorizing such increase and publishes notice
11thereof in a newspaper having general circulation in the
12district at least once not less than 45 days prior to the
13effective date of the increase. The notice shall include a
14statement of (1) the specific number of voters required to
15sign a petition requesting that the question of the adoption
16of the resolution be submitted to the electors of the
17district; (2) the time in which the petition must be filed; and
18(3) the date of the prospective referendum. The Secretary of
19the district shall provide a petition form to any individual
20requesting one. If, no later than 30 days after the
21publication of such notice, petitions signed by voters of the
22district equal to 10% or more of the registered voters of the
23district, as determined by reference to the number of voters
24registered at the next preceding general election, and
25residing in the district are presented to the board expressing
26opposition to the increase, the proposition must first be

 

 

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1certified by the board to the proper election officials, who
2shall submit the proposition to the legal voters of the
3district at an election in accordance with the general
4election law and approved by a majority of those voting on the
5proposition.
6    The rate of the tax levied under this Section for general
7corporate purposes in a forest preserve district may be
8increased, up to the maximum rate identified in this Section,
9by the Board by a resolution calling for the submission of the
10question of increasing the rate to the voters of the district
11in accordance with the general election law. The question must
12be in substantially the following form:
13        "Shall (name of district) be authorized to establish
14    its general corporate tax rate at (insert rate) on the
15    equalized assessed value on taxable property located
16    within the district for its general purposes, including
17    education, outdoor recreation, maintenance, operations,
18    public safety at the forest preserves, trails, and other
19    properties of the district (and, optionally, insert any
20    other lawful purposes or programs determined by the
21    Board)."
22    The ballot must have printed on it, but not as part of the
23proposition submitted, the following: "The approximate impact
24of the proposed increase on the owner of a single-family home
25having a market value of (insert value) would be (insert
26amount) in the first year of the increase if the increase is

 

 

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1fully implemented." The ballot may have printed on it, but not
2as part of the proposition, one or both of the following: "The
3last tax rate extended for the purposes of the district was
4(insert rate). The last rate increase approved for the
5purposes of the district was in (insert year)." No other
6information needs to be included on the ballot.
7    The votes must be recorded as "Yes" or "No".
8    If a majority of the electors voting on the question vote
9in the affirmative, the district may thereafter levy the tax.
10    This Section does not apply to a forest preserve district
11established under Section 18.5 of the Conservation District
12Act.
13(Source: P.A. 94-617, eff. 8-18-05.)
 
14    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
15becoming law.