A look at recommendations to shrink Illinois government

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) - A task force named by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner presented recommendations Monday to reduce Illinois' roughly 7,000 units of government and to save local taxpayers money. Here's a look at several of the group's suggestions:

-Enact a four-year moratorium on new local governments, unless it's the result of consolidating two or more existing entities.

-Allow Illinois voters to consolidate or dissolve local governments through referendum.

-Allow townships to consolidate with municipalities that have the same borders, if approved by voters.

-Eliminate a 126-square-mile cap on the size of a township, to allow townships to merge.

-Allow the Illinois State Board of Education to give school districts incentives to consolidate.

-Give local governments the option to post public notices online, rather than in newspapers.

-Repeal or make changes to laws requiring workers on publicly funded projects be paid a certain wage and benefits.

-Allow school districts to use third-party contractors, rather than union employees, for services such as transportation and building maintenance.

-Give school districts more flexibility on requirements for offering physical education and driver's education.

-Allow local governments to opt out of collective bargaining with public-employee unions.

-Merge downstate and suburban police and fire pension funds into one pension investment authority.

-Require annual review of unfunded mandates on local government.

-Give local government flexibility in offering retirement benefits, such as a 401k-style plan, to new hires.

Source: Report of the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force.