MEMBERS
Antioch
Arlington Heights
Barrington
Bartlett
Buffalo Grove
Carpentersville
Cary
Crystal Lake
Deerfield
Des Plaines
Elk Grove Village
Evanston
Fox River Grove
Glencoe
Glenview
Grayslake
Hanover Park
Highland Park
Hoffman Estates
Kenilworth
Lake Forest
LakeZurich
Libertyville
Lincolnshire
Lincolnwood
Morton Grove
Mount Prospect
Niles
Northbrook
Northfield
Northfield Twp.
Palatine
Park Ridge
ProspectHeights
Rolling Meadows
Schaumburg
Skokie
Streamwood
Vernon Hills
Wheeling
Wilmette
Winnetka
President
Christopher S. Canning
Wilmette
Vice-President
William D. McLeod
Hoffman Estates
Secretary
Sandra E. Frum
Northbrook
Treasurer
RobertR. Kiely, Jr.
Lake Forest
Executive Director
Mark L. Fowler
February 24, 2012
Dear Local Government Partner:
In 2011, numerous statewide organizations representing local governments banded together in a coalition to defend local government revenues from being used for state budget purposes. In large part, due to the partnership developed among our various interests combined with an aggressive public relations campaign delivered by Serafin and Associates, we were able to fend off major cuts to local government revenues.
This year, legislators will again be under significant pressure to examine all avenues to plug the state’s projected budget deficit. Already under discussion this year are potential cuts to the Personal Property Replacement Taxes collected by local governments, legislation to limit collection of taxes by non home rule municipalities and shifting the funding of pensions to local school districts. We fully expect additional concepts to be floated this spring and must be positioned to vigorously defend local government revenues.
To that end, this letter seeks your organization’s continued commitment to protecting local government revenues by participating in the Protect Local Government Revenues Coalition. At this point, we are seeking your conceptual participation by allowing your organization’s name to be added to the list of supporters, but may request financial considerations as we advance through the legislative process.
Please respond by Friday, March 2 and let me know if we can add your organization to the list of supporters by filling out the attached form. Please also indicate if your organization would consider committing funding, if need be, to help finance the effort. The Northwest Municipal Conference and other local government organizations will be in Springfield during the week of March 5 and we would like to discuss the coalition with state legislators and the governor’s office. Please return the form via email to . Should you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 847-296-9200, ext. 25 or .
Thank you in advance for your consideration,
Mark L. Fowler
Executive Director