(60 ILCS 1/Art. 207 heading)
(60 ILCS 1/207-1)
Sec. 207-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the Township Special Service Area Tax Law.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)
(60 ILCS 1/207-5)
Sec. 207-5. Definitions. In this Article:
"Township special service area" means a contiguous area within a township in a county with a population of more than 3,000,000 in which special services are provided in addition to those services provided generally throughout the township. Territory is considered contiguous even though one or more completely surrounded portions of the territory are excluded from the township special service area.
"Special services" means the land acquisition, development, construction, and maintenance of streets, street lighting, sidewalks, sanitary sewer systems, storm sewer systems, water systems, alleys, and other necessary adjuncts within the township special service area.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)
(60 ILCS 1/207-10)
Sec. 207-10. Provision of township special services. A township special service area may be established in a township as provided in this Article. The cost of the special services shall be paid by bonds issued as provided in this Article. If a township exercises the power granted in this Article to issue bonds for township special services, then an ad valorem tax shall be levied upon property within the township special service area to retire the bonds in accordance with this Article.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)
(60 ILCS 1/207-15)
Sec. 207-15. Governing body. The township board of the township is the governing body of a township special service area.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)
(60 ILCS 1/207-20)
Sec. 207-20. Proposal of referendum to establish a township special service area. The question of establishing a township special service area may be presented to the legal voters of an area by resolution of the township board of the township in which the area lies, or by petition of the voters acting on their own initiative. Referenda initiated under this Section are subject to the provisions and limitations of the Election Code.
A resolution by the corporate authorities to initiate a referendum under this Section must include, at a minimum, the following: the special services to be provided; the boundaries of the proposed special service area by general description and the property index numbers of the parcels within the proposed township special service area; the maximum amount of bonds to be issued and the period of time over which the bonds will be retired; the stated need and local support for the proposed township special service area; and the election at which the proposition is to be submitted to the electors in the proposed township special service area. The township clerk shall certify the question to the proper election officials who shall submit the question to the voters at the next regular election under the Election Code.
A petition for a referendum on this question on the voters' own initiative must be signed by not fewer than 10% of the legal voters in the proposed township special service area and must include, at a minimum, the following: the special services to be provided; the boundaries of the proposed special service area by general description and the property index numbers of the parcels within the proposed township special service area; the maximum amount of bonds to be issued and the period of time over which the bonds will be retired; the stated need and local support for the proposed township special service area; and the election at which the proposition is to be submitted to the electors in the proposed township special service area. The petition shall be filed with the township clerk. The township clerk shall certify the question to the proper election officials who shall submit the question to the voters at the next regular election under the Election Code.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)
(60 ILCS 1/207-25)
Sec. 207-25. Referendum for establishment of township special service area. The question on the ballot shall be submitted to the voters in the proposed township special service area in substantially the following form:
"Shall (name of township) Township be authorized to establish a Township Special Service Area to provide the special services of (list of special services) in the territory described as (general description of proposed boundaries) and to issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $(amount) which will be retired over a period of (number of years) years from (date) by taxes levied upon property within the Township Special Service Area?"
The votes shall be recorded as "Yes" or "No".
If a majority of the electors voting on the question vote in the affirmative, the township board may, by ordinance, establish the township special service area, issue bonds up to the maximum amount authorized, and levy an ad valorem tax upon the property in the township special service area to retire the bonds in accordance with this Article. If the area is within one or more municipalities, the township board may not establish the township special service area, issue bonds, or levy a tax until the municipality or municipalities have certified to the township clerk an ordinance consenting to the creation of the township special service area. A township may establish a township special service area within the unincorporated area of a county without the consent of the county.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)
(60 ILCS 1/207-30)
Sec. 207-30. Issuance of bonds. Bonds secured by the full faith and credit of the area included in the township special service area may be issued for providing the special services in an amount not to exceed the amount authorized by the voters at the referendum under Section 207-25 and not to be retired over a longer period of time than authorized at the referendum. Bonds, when so issued, shall be retired by the levy of ad valorem taxes against all of the taxable real property included in the township special service area as provided in the referendum establishing the township special service area and authorizing the issuance of the bonds. The county clerk shall annually extend ad valorem taxes against all of the taxable property situated in the county and contained in the special service area in amounts sufficient to pay maturing principal and interest of those bonds without limitation as to rate or amount and in addition to and in excess of any taxes that may now or hereafter be authorized to be levied by the township. Bonds issued pursuant to this Article shall not be regarded as indebtedness of the township for the purpose of any limitation imposed by any law.
All bonds shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Debt Reform Act.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)
(60 ILCS 1/207-35)
Sec. 207-35. Extension of tax levy. If bonds are issued under this Article and a property tax is levied, the tax shall be extended by the county clerk in the township special service area in the manner provided by Articles 1 through 26 of the Property Tax Code based on equalized assessed values as established under Articles 1 through 26 of the Property Tax Code, and billed and collected in the manner provided by Articles 1 through 26 of the Property Tax Code. The township clerk shall file with the county clerk and also with the county recorder a certified copy of the ordinance creating the special service area; a list of the special services to be provided; the boundaries of the special service area by complete legal description and by an accurate map; a list of the property index numbers of the parcels within the township special service area; the maximum amount of bonds to be issued and the period of time over which the bonds will be retired. The corporate authorities of the township may levy taxes in the township special service area prior to the date the levy must be filed with the county clerk, for the same year in which the information required in this Section is filed with the county clerk. In addition, the corporate authorities shall file a certified copy of each ordinance levying ad valorem taxes to retire the bonds in accordance with the time requirement to levy for bonds specified in the Local Government Debt Reform Act.
(Source: P.A. 90-798, eff. 12-15-98.)