Endorsement: Yes to eliminate Hanover Township Road District and highway commissioner

One of the biggest roadblocks to consolidation in Illinois' complex and bloated aggregation of government bodies is the reluctance of the bodies themselves to surrender their jobs and influence. So, when a township acknowledges that some of its functions can be absorbed with the elimination of a department, voters ought not be slow to take the opportunity. Responding to a recommendation from the outgoing highway commissioner, Hanover Township officials concluded that, in the words of the township supervisor, they could "easily" manage the care of the highway district's 14 miles of roads without the need for a separate highway department. So, they're coming to voters April 4 to ask whether the department should be abolished. The move won't be a huge money saver immediately. The commissioner's salary pays $20,000 annually. The township will absorb the three-person staff in the short term and phase out the jobs through attrition as they become vacant. But every step toward elimination of of a taxing body and more government efficiency is a step worth acknowledging and applauding. Voters should vote yes to eliminate the Hanover Township Road District.