DuPage Township, IL. (ECWd) –
DuPage Township has taken it upon themselves to donate at least $459,812 since April of 2013.
These are your tax dollars being given away to apparently whomever asks for it.
Here t is broken down by fiscal year:
- 2013-2014 – $96,615.00
- 2014-2015 – $68,665.00
- 2015-2016 – $94,152.00
- 2016-2017 – $88,596.00
- 2017-2018 – $109,959.00
- 2017-2018 – $1,875.00 (this year is just beginning)
These donations must (1) be used to provide a service, (2) recipient must be a nonprofit (with a couple exceptions), (3) funds donated must be used to provide the service only to township residents, and (4) the nonprofit must have been existence for at least one year prior to the donation.
We have written about donations by Townships previously when we looked at Shelbyville Township in downstate Shelby County (here and here), with some key points below:
The Law
60 ICLS 1/235-5 “The township board may raise money, by taxation not exceeding the rates established in Section 235-10, for the following purposes:
(6) “Providing services in cooperation with another governmental entity, not-for-profit corporation, or nonprofit community service association under Section 85-13”
Is there anyone that does not understand the language “Providing Services in cooperation with”? It specifically outlines tax money can be used for “Providing Services in cooperation with another governmental entity, not-for-profit corporation, or nonprofit community service association. It is almost the exact language used for the intent of spending public money outlined at the Constitutional Convention. This law goes a step further and points to section 85-13 , which lists the very services the township can provide directly or in cooperation with those entities listed.
60-ILCS 1/85-13 “The township board may either expend funds directly or may enter into any cooperative agreement or contract with any other governmental entity, not-for-profit corporation, non-profit community service association, or any for-profit business entity as provided in subsection (b) with respect to the expenditure of township funds, or funds made available to the township under the federal State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, to provide any of the following services to the residents of the township:
Simply put, The township board may expend funds directly to provide any of the following services to the residents of the township (See the statute for a list of those services).
The power to spend was given in order to provide services listed in the statute. The Township has taken the position that donations to groups like the post-prom, wrestling, volleyball, baseball, etc., is allowed as long as they do it directly with them. That is not consistent with the constitutional intent nor legislative intent, nor Attorney General Opinion.
For starters, a key qualifier in section 85-13 is this statement as it applies to spending. It can only be used for “(1) Ordinary and necessary maintenance and operating expenses for the following”, then lists several services the township can provide, directly or through other entities.
We have requested copies of the cooperative agreements or contracts with each recipient of these public funds. Additional information coming soon.
You can view the list of spending at this link or view below.
Donations sponsorship scholarship loans grants 2013 to 2018
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Our work is funded entirely thru donations and we
ask that you consider donating at the below link.
