SPRINGFIELD – Representing local leaders from across the state, the Illinois Municipal League (IML) announced its 2025 Moving Cities Forward legislative platform, which aims to ensure the long-term success of all 1,294 cities, villages and towns in Illinois.
This year’s platform promotes local government efficiency and modern policies that balance community needs and resources. These policies include legislation that grants authority to fulfill public notice mandates electronically, ensures fair compensation for lift-assist services, creates equitable Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) authority, protects local authority in housing initiatives and reduces unnecessary financial burdens on small municipalities.
“These policies are common sense reforms that give local leaders the tools and flexibility to meet evolving community needs,” said IML Chief Executive Officer Brad Cole. “We are calling on the General Assembly to ensure municipalities have the authority and resources needed to enhance public services and promote fiscal sustainability.”
Moving Cities Forward advocates for municipalities to have the authority to fulfill public notice mandates electronically. State law imposes a significant number of mandated posting requirements for communicating governmental information to the public via print, which costs municipalities millions of taxpayer dollars annually. SB 29 (Sen. Castro, D-Elgin) and HB 3069 (Rep. Ford, D-Chicago) would grant municipal governments the option to fulfill public notice mandates on the municipality’s website and on a publicly-available, searchable online database operated independently from the municipality.
Publication of notice requirements in newspapers would remain an option while the proposed electronic option reflects current technological advancements. To provide additional options beyond print media, IML has created a website, LocalPublicNotices.org, where municipalities can post public notices easily and efficiently, for free.
“In today’s digital age, it just makes sense to give local governments the option to publish notices electronically,” said IML President, Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, City of Champaign. “As other aspects of government have evolved to embrace technology, this is a natural step to stay in sync with the many ways the public communicates and accesses information, while ensuring that we are using our resources efficiently.”
Municipal leaders are also seeking local authority to assess lift-assistance fees. Calls for non-emergency lift assistance are increasing, and some congregate care facilities prohibit their personnel from lifting residents and patients for safety and liability reasons. The risks of these potential injuries are shifted to municipal fire and rescue departments. Many home rule municipalities currently impose fees for these services. HB 2336 (Rep. Kelly, D-Chicago) clarifies the authority of all municipalities to assess a fee for lift-assist services performed by municipal personnel.
Moving Cities Forward seeks to maintain the preservation of municipal authority to implement housing programs, local ordinances and affordable housing measures. The State of Illinois grants local governments limited authority to establish and implement responsible housing programs for the benefit of their residents. However, local authority to efficiently address community-specific housing issues is under threat of removal. Preserving this authority allows local governments to provide adequate housing options and address critical housing issues in a manner that promotes the health, safety and welfare of their communities.
“We believe that everyone deserves safe, accessible and fair housing. Municipal housing policies are designed to put residents’ needs first while adhering to federal and state laws,” said IML First Vice President, Village President Sheila Chalmers-Currin, Village of Matteson. “Local governments are in the best position to address the unique needs of their residents and ensure that housing policies align with the values and priorities of their communities.”
Mayors are also backing HB 1283 (Rep. DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights), a Moving Cities Forward proposal that would allow all non-home rule municipalities to implement a Motor Fuel Tax. Currently, non-home rule municipalities within Cook County—or those elsewhere with more than 100,000 residents—may impose a local tax on motor fuel, by ordinance, not to exceed $0.03 per gallon in $0.01 increments. The remaining non-home rule municipalities in Illinois do not have this authority. Expanding this authority to all non-home rule municipalities is an equitable solution that offers alternative revenue sources to fund vital infrastructure projects.
SB 82 (Sen. D. Turner, D-Springfield) and HB 1082 (Rep. Johnson, D-East Moline) would exempt more small municipalities from the costly and burdensome requirement of annual audits performed by certified public accountants (CPAs). While small communities already file financial reports with the Illinois State Comptroller, state-mandated CPA audits are expensive and difficult to obtain due to a limited number of CPAs specializing in municipal audits. This legislative proposal exempts municipalities with a population of less than 1,000 from annual audit requirements.
“Annual audit requirements represent a costly unfunded mandate that disproportionately impact small municipalities,” said IML Second Vice President, Mayor Gary W. Manier, City of Washington. “Senate Bill 82 and House Bill 1082 strike a balance by maintaining effective financial reporting and transparency, while reducing the financial strain on small local governments so they can better serve their communities.”
For more information about IML’s full 2025 Moving Cities Forward legislative platform, please visit movingcitiesforward.org.