A Statement by A. L. SARGENT, Executive Director of the Illinois Municipal League, to the Northeastern Illinois Metropolitan Area Local Governmental Services Commission

We appreciate the opportunity of presenting a brief statement to the Northeastern Illinois Metropolitan Area Local Governmental Services Commission not only on behalf of our member cities and villages in the area, but on behalf of all municipalities of Illinois.

All Illinois municipalities have an interest in water supplies, sanitary sewers and sewage disposal, drainage and flood control, and garbage and refuse collection and disposal. While all of these problems involve to a greater or lesser degree the cities and villages of Illinois, this Commission is concerned primarily with them as they affect the great Chicago Metropolitan Area. However, any legislative proposals that may be made as a result of the Commission's study and research would probably affect all municipalities in the State. The League would lend its support to helpful legislation that met with the approval of municipal officials in the area because it would be of benefit to all of the municipalities of the State.

Specifically, we discuss the problem of garbage and waste disposal. The Commission has available a fine report on this problem written by Mr. Samuel A. Greeley, a partner in the firm of Greeley and Hansen. This is Chapter VI of "Metropolitan Area Governmental Problems in Northeastern Illinois" Part 1—Analysis Section A. This comprehensive report is prepared for the five county area but in many broad details would apply to any Illinois Metropolitan Area, so in our statement we will not go into types of garbage and waste materials or methods of collection or disposal, rather we invite the Commission Members' thoughtful attention to the Greeley study.

The present garbage Act (Art. 40, Chap. 24 Illinois Revised Statutes) does not meet today's expanding requirements.

It authorizes any municipality with over five thousand population to enter into contracts for more than one year but not more than five years for the "collection and disposal of garbage and ashes." It authorizes any municipality with a population of less than 500,000 "to establish and maintain garbage systems or plants for the collection and disposal of garbage, and for the purpose may levy a tax of not to exceed .10 per cent of the assessed value of all property." The Act further provides that two or more adjoining municipalities may exercise the powers of this section jointly but does not authorize in sufficient detail a method of management or financing.

A recent amendment to the statutes (Art. 33-37.1, Chap. 24 Illinois Revised Statutes) authorizes municipalities to enter into contracts for the collection and disposal of rubbish originating within the municipality, and to take such action as may be necessary to perform the contract.

The present Act fails to recognize that there are municipalities of less than 5,000 population who are anxious to enter into contracts for the collection and disposal of garbage and waste material. The present five year limitation does not provide enough time for amortizing the cost of equipment and facilities and the recent amendment to Art. 23-37.1, Chap. 24, would seem to necessitate the signing of individual agreements with each and every householder, a time consuming and costly administrative procedure. The statutory rate of .10 per cent of the assessed value of all property when modified by the provisions of the General Revenue Law of Illinois produces an insufficient amount of revenue with which to finance the essential services and equipment required and municipalities have been forced to divert funds for other purposes to give their citizens at least a semblance of garbage and refuse collection and disposal. Increased costs and difficulties in finding convenient disposal sites make new legislation a must.

The Illinois Municipal League suggests that the Commission study the repeal of existing Article 40, Chapter 24, Illinois Revised Statutes and in lieu thereof, the drafting of a new Act that would reflect present and future problems of the collection and disposal of garbage and waste materials. The redrafting of the Act would require considerable research and study by the Commission and its staff, of the prevailing conditions in all parts of the State as well as a study of the statutes of other states. All statutory provisions governing the collection and disposal of garbage and waste material should be included in one Article.

The League suggests that a study be made of the feasibility of either removing the restrictions of the General Revenue Law of Illinois from the rate of .10 per cent of the assessed value, or of increasing the rate when modified to produce enough revenue to meet the realistic cost of adequate service.

The League suggests that cities and villages be given the power, in lieu of a tax levy, to assess a "service charge" on all homes, businesses and users and provide methods for the collection of the charge. The power should be broad enough to permit discretion on the part of the local authorities to meet varying conditions.

The League suggests that two or more cities, villages or counties be given the power and authority to form corporations or authorities for the collection and disposal of garbage and waste material. This procedure is outlined in some detail in the study "Metropolitan Area Governmental

Problems in Northeastern Illinois, Part 1", Chapter VI, page 199 and following. The proposed Act should provide methods of financing", probably through use of a "service charge" in the local community and a formula for each municipality's share of the cost of a central disposal plant. The proposed Act would in effect establish the collection and disposal of garbage and waste material as a utility service. The Act should provide for a governing body to manage and operate the corporation or authority and a fair and equitable method for their appointment.

The League commends the Northeastern Illinois Metropolitan Area Local Governmental Services Commission and its staff for its accomplishments to date, and for the time and efforts of its individual members in attempting to find an answer to some of the many problems brought about by the ever expanding population growth of the area.

We believe that the work of the Commission is so important and the problems so vast that its activity should be extended by the Seventieth General Assembly.

We thank the Commission members for the opportunity of presenting our ideas concerning this very important problem. We offer the services of the League, its officers and committee members in any manner that may be of assistance to the Commission.