![](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/389/2021/04/19110134/BradCole-300x225.jpeg)
By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – The group which represents the cities, towns, and villages of Illinois is out with its 2021 wish list. And the priorities, says Illinois Municipal League executive director Brad Cole, are pretty much the same as in the past few years.
Fewer unfunded mandates. Restored support for local governments.
“The Local Government Distributive Fund is the local share of state income tax and was originally ten percent,” said Cole. Now we are down to about six percent, and it keeps getting cut and cut. The governor this year had proposed to reduce it again, and that means fewer dollars coming to local governments to do the programs and services that citizens want and desire.”
And Cole would like to treat pensions as one would refinance a house, adding nobody has missed a pension check.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].