REPORT 



FROM SPRINGFIELD 



IN THE 65th General Assembly, there 

 was little purely agricultural legisla- 

 tion which was controversial. Farm- 

 ers were most interested in legisla- 

 ■ tion dealing with road improvement, 

 property taxes, school support and school 

 reorganization, and appropriations. 



The 65th General Assembly perhaps 

 will be remembered as the first Illinois 

 General Assembly which appropriated a 

 billion dollars. The General Assembly 

 has authorized State expenditures at a 

 level which, in times of normal economic 

 conditions, will necessitate either a sub- 

 stational reduction in state expenditures 

 or greatly increased state taxes. 



A total of 1675 bills were introduced 

 in the session. Of these, 739 were 

 passed. A few of the more important 

 bills affecting farmers are listed in this 

 article. In view of the fact that these 

 bills were not highly controversial, the 

 voting records on them are not printed 

 at this time. 



STATE FUNDS FOR LOCAL ROADS 



The General Assembly appropriated 

 $15,000,000 for a continuation of state 

 aid in the construction and surfacing of 

 all-weather township and road district 

 roads. In 1945, the lAA sponsored leg- 

 islation under which the state, for the 

 first time, recognized its obligation to as- 



sist in the construction of these township 

 and road district roads. The appropria- 

 tion made in 1947 continues this assist- 

 ance. 



The Farm-to-Market Roads Commis- 

 sion recommended that 130,000,000 be 

 appropriated for assistance on these 

 roads, the money to be derived from an 

 additional Ic on the gasoline tax. There 

 was objection to increased state taxes at 

 this time, and the budget provided $20,- 

 000,000 for these roads, the money to 

 come from the General Revenue Fund. 

 Later, commitments were made for state 

 funds for assistance to housing, largely 

 in Chicago, and it was proposed that the 

 appropriation for state assistance in the 

 construction of these farm-to-highway 

 roads be reduced to $15,000,000 and that 

 the money be taken from the gasoline 

 tax. 



It appeared to the Association that the 

 funds could not be taken from present 

 gasoline tax revenues without impairing 

 the road construction programs of the 

 state, the counties, and the municipalities. 

 Accordingly, the Association opposed 



firoposals to take this money from gaso- 

 ine tax funds. It also opposed the re- 

 duction of the appropriation. 



By PAUL E. MATHIAS 



Secretary, lAA 



The bill, as passed, makes the ap- 

 propriation of $15,000,000 from the- 

 General Revenue Fund. The money is- 

 to be allocated among the townships and 

 road districts in proportion to their mile- 

 age of these township and road district" 

 roads. It is to be used for all-weather 

 surfacing of these roads and for the con- 

 struction of bridges and culverts. The 

 township or road district highway com- 

 missioner and the County Superintendent 

 of Highways together select the roads to- 

 be improved and determine upon the- 

 type of improvement. 



Seventy-five thousand miles of the 

 more than one hundred thousand miles- 

 of roads in the state are maintained by 

 the townships and road districts. It is. 

 necessary that they have state assistance 

 if many areas are to have all-weather 

 farm-to-highway roads. 



ROAD DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION 



The Association sponsored legislation 

 which would permit townships to con- 

 solidate for road purposes. Upon peti- 

 tion of the voters in two or more town- 

 ships, the question of consolidating these 

 townships for road purposes would be 

 submitted to referendum. If approved 

 upon referendum, one township highway 

 commissioner and one clerk would be 

 elected for the enlarged district and 

 would have charge of the roads in the 

 enlarged district. 



Tlie Association also supported legis- 

 lation making it clear that road districts 

 in commission governed counties may 

 combine or consolidate into larger units. 



In many areas, there is the feeling that 

 the townships and road districts are too 

 small for efficient, economical road con- 

 struction and maintenance. If the town- 

 ship or district spends its limited funds 

 for equipment, it has no money left for 

 labor to use the equipment, and if it 

 spends its money for labor, it lacks 

 equipment to do a good job. 



By consolidating, these townships or 

 road districts can pool their resources 

 and get more improved road mileage for 

 their money. This legislation will en- 

 able local people to enlarge their road 

 administrative districts where they de- 

 sire to do so. 



Another bill permits townships or road 

 districts to exchange machinery and 

 equipment with other governmental 

 units. 



PROPERTY TAX LIMITATION 



The Illinois Agricultural Association 

 supported efforts to place reasonable state 

 limitations on property taxes. The 100% 

 assessment legislation enacted in 1945, 

 which the lAA opposed, gave many lo- 

 cal governmental units greatly increased 

 taxing powers. With rising costs, many 

 of these governmental units were hard 



creases 



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L A. A. RECORD 



