REPORT FROM THE 



STATE LEGISLATIVE FRONT 



AIRPORT AUTHORITY BILL CONCERNS FARMERS. PROPOSE YEAR- 

 ROUND OPEN SEASON ON FOXES. OPPOSITION TO CONSTITU- 

 TIONAL CONVENTION. 



By PAUL MATHIAS 



THE first two months of the present 

 session of the Illinois legislature 



have been largely devoted to organ- 

 ization of the legislative bodies and 

 to a few emergency matters. Highly 

 controversial issues have not been con- 

 sidered. 



Airport Authority Act 



However, one bill, the airport author- 

 ity act, which is being pressed for early 

 passage, is of particular importance to 

 farmers. This bill is intended to meet 

 objections raised by the Illinois Su- 

 preme Court in holding unconstitu- 

 tional the 1943 Act permitting cities to 

 set up airport districts. 



The new bill would permit the cre- 

 ation of airport authority districts in 

 areas having 5,000 or more inhabitants. 

 The territory of the airport authority 

 district may include both incorporated 

 cities and rural territory. The creation 

 of the district would be submitted to 

 a referendum in the proposed district 

 and if the proposal carried the airport 

 district would be created. 



A majority of the commissioners ap- 

 pointed to govern the district would 

 be appointed by the city council if 

 there was a city in the area. This air- 

 port district would acquire and provide 

 airport facilities and would be author- 

 ized to levy a tax of 15c on the $100 

 valuation and also issue bonds with- 

 out referendum up to 1% of the as- 

 sessed valuation of the property in the 

 district. The airpor't authority, in ad- 

 dition to jurisdiction over the airport 

 itself may regulate the approaches to 

 the airport in the surrounding area. 



There is a provision in the bill which 

 would permit the disconnection of un- 

 subdivided tracts of 20 acres or more 

 if these lands are not part of the air- 

 port and are more than a certain dis- 

 tance from the airport. However, un- 

 der the bill, as originally introduced, 



while rural property not needed for 

 the airport itself or for regulation of 

 the approaches might be disconnected 

 it«could have been liable for payment 

 of a proportionate part of the bonds 

 issued prior to disconnection. 



Under the bill passed two years ago, 

 a number of cities proposed to set up 

 airport districts and several of them in- 

 cluded substantial amounts of rural ter- 

 ritory. Upon referendum, the people 

 in the cities greatly outnumbered and 

 outvoted the people in the rural areas. 

 The Illinois Agricultural Association 

 proposed first that the minimum pop- 

 ulation of these districts be increased 

 to 15,000, and secondly, that a separate 

 vote be taken in the urban territory and 

 rural territory and that the proposal 

 must receive a majority of the votes cast 

 in each in order to carry. Both these 

 amendments were defeated. 



While it is stated that Federal funds 

 will be available for only a few airports 

 in the state, the higher population lim- 

 itation was opposed by Chamber of 

 Commerce and municipal officials who 

 seemed to feel that many of the small- 

 er cities would want to take advantage 

 of this legislation. There is, of course, 

 legislation now on the books under 

 which cities, counties and park districts 

 may provide public airports. However, 

 in order to secure added taxing and 

 bonding power, many people seem to 

 feel that the present legislation is neces- 

 sary. 



While the lAA amendments 

 were defeated, other amendments 

 have been adopted which reduce 

 the area of rural territory to be re- 

 tained in the district to the airport 

 itself and an adjoining area of one- 

 half to two miles, depending upx)n 

 the length of the runways, and a 

 strip of land connecting the air- 

 port to the city. 



Other amendments give resi- 

 dents of rural territory 60 days in 

 which to file a petition for discon- 

 nection and provide that when the 

 disconnection is granted it shall 

 relate back to the date of the peti- 

 tion. This will enable the area 

 which is disconneaed to be re- 

 lieved of taxes for the payment of 

 bonds for the airport authority 

 district. If the provision for dis- 

 connection is valid, then these 

 amendments go a long ways toward 

 proteaing the interests of rural 

 people. 



Open Season On Foxes 

 Another bill of interest to a number 

 of farmers in the central section of 

 the state provides a year-round open 

 season on foxes in the central zone. 

 Many persons report that foxes have 

 become so numerous that they are kill- 

 ing many chickens and even very young 

 pigs in addition to doing a great deal 

 of other damage. It is thought that 

 the enactment of legislation providing 

 a year-round open season on foxes in 

 the central zone will result in a con- 

 siderable reduction in the fox popula- 

 tion. A number of them can be killed 

 before they leave their dens. The lAA 

 is supporting this legislation. 



Animal Disease Control 



There is a great deal of interest in 

 animal disease control legislation par- 

 ticularly as it affects the Bang's dis- 

 ease elimination program. A legisla- 

 tive commission has held hearings in a 

 number of places in the state in an at- 

 tempt to determine the thought and 

 wishes of livestock breeders. While 

 no legislation has been introduced as 

 yet, it is apparent that there will be 

 legislative action on these matters. 



Constitutional Convention 



Many groups are urging that the 

 question of calling a constitutional con- 

 T^ention to consider a revision or amend- 

 ment of our state constitution be sub- 

 mitted to the voters. The Governor 

 has recommended this proposal. While 

 the legislation has not been introduced, 

 it is much discussed. 



If the recommendation were to be 

 followed, the General Assembly, by a 

 two-thirds vote in each House would 

 submit the proposal for calling a con- 

 stitutional convention to a referendum 

 at the election in November, 1946. 



The favorable vote of a majority of 

 all votes cast in the election would be 

 necessary for the proposal to carry. If 

 the proposal carried, then the General 

 Assembly in 1947 would enact legisla- 

 tion providing for the convention. Two 

 delegates would be elected from each 

 senatorial district. This would involve 

 a primary election and also a special 



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I. A. A. RECORD 



