Illinois state Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham) is backing legislation for reforms to end wasteful and excessive government.
Wilhour voiced his support for the legislation that seeks to consolidate 25% of the state’s 852 school districts. Illinois has more school districts than any state in the U.S., with almost half the districts only serving one or two schools, according to an Illinois Policy article. Each school district has its own set of administrators and overhead, costing Illinois taxpayers millions in redundant costs.
“If we all aren’t willing to make serious moves to consolidate, eliminate and reform excessive government, we have no credibility to complain about high property taxes,” Wilhour said in a March 31 Facebook post. “I am again the chief co-sponsor on this legislation. It moved out of committee last week and will now come before the House.”
Illinois spends $598 per student on district-level administration, while the national average is $237, according to the conservative Illinois Policy website. This difference is costing the state up to $716.6 million in bureaucratic costs.
“This is common-sense legislation that puts a process in place for locals to streamline their bloated and inefficient school districts,” Wilhour said. “This would allow more of our education money to flow directly to the classroom.”
According to a study by the Illinois Policy Institute, West Chicago families could save up to $1,030 on property taxes just by combining the many separate school districts.
“We live in a small town of around 27,000 people, so I am boggled by the fact that we are split up among five school districts: 25, 33, U-46, 94 and District 303,” West Chicago resident Megan Zentner told the Illinois Policy.
State Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) sponsored the legislation.
The bill would create the School District Efficiency Commission, which would make recommendations that would go directly to voters on the ballot.
Previous efforts to consolidate school districts in Illinois have faltered, and the bill currently faces opposition from school districts and the Illinois Association of School Boards.
