Sangamon Sun

A bill that would eliminate the position of Sangamon County township collector passed the House on Wednesday and now awaits a Senate hearing.

“Sangamon is one of only four counties left in the state which still maintains these offices,” state Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), who filed HB3521, said. “We have the most collectors out of the four counties, with 16 of our 26 townships having someone on the ballot this spring. This bill will allow collectors elected yesterday (Tuesday) to serve out their full four-year term, but all Sangamon County township collectors will be eliminated on Jan. 1, 2022, and the Sangamon treasurer will assume the duties of his office.”

The bill is intended to reduce the size of government in Sangamon County, which now has 19 active township collectors who serve four-year terms.

“HB3521 is a bipartisan citizen-led initiative to streamline and make a more effective government in Sangamon County through the elimination of the outdated township collector office,” Butler said.

The township collector office was created to collect property taxes after a property value assessment was made by the township assessor. The elimination of the township collector office means that its duties will be absorbed by the county treasurer.

Current Sangamon County Treasurer Tom Cavanagh also serves as the Capital Township collector, assessing and collecting property taxes for Springfield-Capital Township.

Residents of Sangamon currently make two payments to the township collector and the treasurer on their tax bills. Removing the township collector post is expected to reduce government overlap and increase efficiency. This initiative was supported by a majority of Sangamon County voters, according to Butler.

“In November of this past year, there was an advisory referendum on the Sangamon County ballots [and] the elimination of these positions received 75 percent of the vote in Sangamon County,” he said.

HB3521 passed the House with 110 votes.