Tom Cullerton works to save taxpayer dollars

SPRINGFIELD- To mirror the success seen in DuPage County, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) has introduced a series of initiatives to streamline and remove redundancies in local government.

"DuPage County has been a leader in government consolidation," Cullerton said. "It's time to spread our success throughout Illinois. We need to continue to look for ways to save valuable taxpayer dollars."

Cullerton acknowledges that Illinois has more than 7,000 government entities that were developed decades ago.

Here are two of the first initiatives introduced by Cullerton this year to streamline state government.

Government consolidation report (Senate Bill 2994): Requires all Illinois county boards to submit a report to the General Assembly recommending units of government that may be dissolved or consolidated.

This was the first step DuPage County took in its government consolidation efforts. Through this model, the county is projected to save taxpayers more than $100 million over the next 20 years.

Mosquito abatement (Senate Bill 2323): Dissolves all mosquito abatement districts in DuPage County and transfers their duties to townships.

Mosquito abatement districts manage mosquito populations and the economic and environmental impact they have on communities.

As a member of Transform Illinois, Cullerton has been working with all levels of government to find ways to streamline and improve the delivery of government services in communities across Illinois.

"It's important that we continue to find ways to make sure government is working for the citizens of Illinois," Cullerton said. "Government needs to evolve with the needs of the people."

Transform Illinois is a collaboration between local elected officials, civic organizations and research institutions dedicated to promoting and supporting local government efficiency efforts. Cullerton is an active collaborator.