Woodstock special census approved in home-rule pursuit

Gregory Harutunian

 

An entrance sign to the city of Woodstock reflects the population total from the 2010 census. The city council is hoping a special census will show the city has reached the 25,000 threshold for a home-rule designation.

An entrance sign to the city of Woodstock reflects the population total from the 2010 census. The city council is hoping a special census will show the city has reached the 25,000 threshold for a home-rule designation.

The Woodstock City Council had discussed conducting a special census to further a possibility of “home-rule” status last March, but found the effort temporarily delayed by a misunderstanding of the time frames for contractual agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau. During its Jan. 19 meeting, council members approved the contract by a 6-0 vote, with one absentee, clearing the path toward the formal count and subsequent certification.

“The city was 230 people short, after the last census in 2010,” said Roscoe Stelford, Woodstock’s city manager. “The main reason is financial. It’s going to pay itself off in one year. Those monies come from state-shared revenue streams, and are driven by population numbers. Timing places the actual census canvassing between June and August, and certified figures maybe two months later.

“This does go back to early last year, when Gov. (Bruce) Rauner announced a 50 percent cut in municipal shares of the collected income tax,” he said. “That share is based on population, per capita numbers, and nothing has been resolved in that area so far at the state level.”

The collected income tax amount is only one of the three revenue streams from the state, which would be impacted by an increased population total. The other two areas are motor fuel tax, and use tax, with the latter complementing in-state retailer’s occupation tax, and is applicable to purchases made outside the state without an exemption.

By law, Illinois municipalities with populations of 25,000 or more, receive a home rule status that creates a local taxing authority and removes ties to state-mandated limitations regarding additional assessments. This includes various retailer’s occupation (sales) taxes, utilities, and property sales. It also allows an exemption on the annual levy amount above the property tax cap of 5 percent, or the fixed rate of inflation.

Stelford alluded to state cuts in the local government distributive fund (LGDF), and at the time, left an approximate $1.2 million shortfall in the city’s fiscal year 2016 budget, for council members to deal with. “Our fiscal year runs from April 1 through March 31, while the state legislature’s budget begins July 1,” said Stelford. “We just want to make sure Woodstock gets the fair share allotted.

“The full council did consider proceeding with the special census last March, but the timing was poor, as well as an understanding of the process,” he said. “We’re working directly with the Federal agency, based in Washington D.C., and the council approved the letter of agreement Jan. 19, but it can take 60 days for the turnaround.”

Last March, the costs associated with the special census carried an estimated $120,000 tab, consisting of two equal $60,000 set-aside disbursements. The present estimate is closer to $89,000 in expenditures for the contract with the census bureau. The first foray encompasses mass mailings to obtain household information, with as yet undetermined period for response.

Enumerators will then canvass sites where no response was obtained, or mailing efforts failed.

“That’s the important timeframe … when they hit the pavement to get an accurate count,” said Stelford. “Also summer weather is more conducive to success. Had we done it last year, the actual kickoff would have been in the late fall or winter.”

The process includes a six- to eight-week counting period, at the close of mail and fieldwork canvassing, trailed by the census bureau director certifying the final totals for dissemination to the city of Woodstock.

Stelford also said that “home-rule” gives a municipality more authority over its own destiny, and an ability to invoke creative solutions to community problems.

“It’s being able to initiate programs without the bridles imposed on a non-home rule community,” Stelford said.

Garrett Anderson, the city’s economic development director, also concurred, adding that more opportunities for commercial growth would become available through the “home-rule” designation.

“New businesses, coming into the Woodstock area, would find a variety of programs that are not proffered in a small community setting,” said Anderson. “The advantage is in flexibility with specific initiatives.

“There is also the advantage of an increased share of state revenues, which are per capita-based. From an economic standpoint, Woodstock could position itself for further growth and more services for our residents.”

 

— Woodstock special census approved in home-rule pursuit —