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Change the law. Eliminate townships’ “general assistance,” an 1850s taxpayer-funded scam. By law, Illinois township government supervisors are charged with just one function, general assistance, aid for the indigent. General assistance is a program that was established in 1850, the birth of township government when most townships had fewer than 50 residents.
General assistance is a public aid program by state law for qualified individuals if they meet eligibility requirements of very low income or no income and can’t receive any form of public benefits.
A snapshot-view of Freedom of Information findings on McHenry County’s 17 townships, fiscal year 2020-21, shows only 164 clients qualified for aid. Eight townships had zero clients, but the supervisors made $192,920. Two townships had two who qualified, one had three and another had five. The amount of aid delivered was just $4,704. However, the supervisors made $113,402. In 17 townships, taxpayers have $1,361,301 of their hard-earned tax dollars sitting in fund balances. They will also be on the hook for another $382,326 of new levied money.
Illinois is the only state that has inefficient and wasteful township general assistance. The functions and duties of townships’ general assistance have been replaced by many other forms of public aid.
Contact your state Springfield lawmakers and tell them to support the elimination of townships’ general assistance.
Bob Anderson