Page 8 - County Bulletin (January 2020)_Layout 1_Neat

Population Trends
Population Trends

Census population estimates show a majority of
rural counties across the U.S. have had population
losses plus substantial growth in elderly residents
in recent years. The Illinois Department of Public
Health projects that these trends will continue in
rural Illinois through 2025.

Implications for Public Service Delivery Systems

Local governments may be affected in several ways. Elderly examining population projections for a target year, e.g., 2025, and
residents need more health care services while they may qualify determining potential changes in services that may be needed.
for property tax reductions and spend less based on retirement This step is followed by examining current expenditures and
incomes. Pension costs are likely to continue pressuring local how they may change in the next several years. When needed
fiscal resources. Current arrangements for delivering local public expenditures have been determined, the LEAP group can incorpo-
services may need to be adjusted both for different services and rate local revenue projections for the same period given expected
for smaller numbers of residents. changes in population composition. An expected shortfall then
Illinois usually ties with New Jersey as having among the triggers discussions among agency heads or other personnel to
highest effective property tax rates of any state. It also has, by far, find ways to collaborate and lower costs, alter services delivered,
the largest number of governmental units — 6,919 (Census of or other approaches to adjust the delivery system.
Governments) or 8,500 (Illinois Office of the Comptroller). Norman Walzer, Senior Research Scholar, and Andy Blanke,
Senior Research Specialist, in the NIU Center for Governmental
Shrinking populations will mean higher property taxes paid Studies, in conjunction with the Chaddick Institute at DePaul
by each household unless more efficiencies can be found. University, presented a webinar on using the LEAP system to
introduce potential users to its potential in supporting local
Increasingly, property taxes are being cited as a factor
decisions. The webinar, Population Declines: What Do They Mean
motivating population outmigration.
for the Structure of Government, will be made available online at
https://las.depaul.edu.
The Local Efficiency Assessment Plan (LEAP), designed by
Policymakers and community leaders interested in a locally-
the NIU Center for Governmental Studies, includes a guidebook
driven process to find ways to collaborate more effectively to
to help residents examine local financing approaches to find
reduce costs of services and help stem rising costs of local
cost-savings through better collaboration among agencies in their
property taxes are encouraged to consider using a LEAP process.
governments or in neighboring governments. The guidebook has
an electronically accessible database containing population
Users needing additional help in accessing the electronic
projections, expenditures, revenues, and other financial or
guidebook and data can contact Andy Blanke, NIU Center for
employment information for governments that report to the Illinois
Governmental Studies, at ablank1@niu.edu to set up group
Office of the Comptroller. Both the guidebook and database are
training sessions.
free to use and are available at www.cgs.niu.edu.
LEAP users are encouraged to form a local group of policy-
makers, residents, and agency heads interested in comparing
how the governments in their county compare with others of
similar size or area within the state. The process involves

John Heidbreder Cinda Edwards
Adams County Board Sangamon County Coroner

John Heidbreder, Adams County Board Cinda Edwards along with her husband,
Member, passed away on January 15 after a former Springfield Alderman and Interim
brief battle with cancer. John was a private Mayor Frank Edwards, died unexpectedly
business owner and served as a combat in a plane crash on January 28. Cinda
engineer in the Vietnam War. He started worked as a nurse at Priority Care in
serving on the Adams County Board in 1977, Springfield from 1984 until 2011, when
embedding himself in the community he loved and called home. she was appointed Sangamon County Coroner. She loved
He was recently graciously commemorated for his 42 years of what she did and took pride in making the Coroner’s office
service protecting the public purse on the Adams County Board, the best it could be. Cinda was a Past President of the Illinois
the longest tenure in County history. Coroner’s and Medical Examiners Association.

© 2020 Illinois Association of County Board Members and Commissioners. All rights reserved.