When taxpayers think about how Illinois distributes the hard-earned income taxes they pay, few realize that the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) is what finances essential services like the safe roads, first responders and local programs families rely on.   

LGDF is the mechanism to distribute a portion of state income tax collections — calculated based on the number of residents — to counties, cities and town governments. These funds are used for road repairs, mental health services, public safety programs, support for small businesses and pensions for first responders. LGDF distributions have also long helped keep local property taxes in check. When LGDF was created in 1970, 10% of all state income tax revenue flowed to local governments. Since the 1970s, the percentage has fluctuated, and today, it sits at 6.47%. This year, Gov. JB Pritzker proposed reducing it to just 6.23%.

As a percentage-based model, the fund grows or shrinks according to annual state revenue collections. But as state collections have risen, the amount distributed has remained relatively flat. Pritzker’s proposed reduction represents an estimated $60 million loss to local governments. At the same time, the cost of local government operations has increased steadily with inflation. The result is these funds have not kept up with the costs to deliver critical services.  

What concerns leaders of local governments are projections that show a troubling trend downward. Newer sources of revenue that feed into the LGDF like the adult use cannabis tax are down over 5%. Equally concerning, total per capita distributions are projected to drop over 4% for fiscal year 2026.

Illinois is facing significant challenges due to reductions in federal funding and evolving conditions in our communities. Throughout this time, leaders in Springfield have taken steps to address these issues, and we acknowledge those efforts. 

As the budget process moves forward, it is with a unified voice and in the spirit of partnership that we ask our partners in the General Assembly and Pritzker to reverse this trend and increase LGDF funding.  

The strength of our state’s economy is derived from the foundation that local government services provide. The responsibility of local governments to support first responders, workers and residents of all ages must remain at the forefront of critical revenue-sharing decisions.  

As always, we are committed to working alongside elected officials at all levels of government to meet this crucial moment and deliver for our taxpayers.  

— Romeoville Mayor John Noak, chairman; Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, first vice chair; Richton Park President Richard Reinbold, secretary; and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, immediate past chair, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

Access to reproductive health care

The Tribune’s recent reporting on the growing number of people traveling to Illinois to receive reproductive health care underscores a reality our state has been confronting for several years (“Data: 1 in 4 women crossing state lines for abortions traveled to Illinois in 2025,” April 26). Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, and as surrounding states impose increasingly restrictive laws, Illinois has become a critical access point, functioning as an oasis for patients who have nowhere else to turn. Audrey Pachuta’s article highlights the human impact of these policies, reflecting what providers and advocates across our state see every day.

In the Illinois House, we recently passed House Bill 5408, legislation I sponsored to help ensure that cost is never the barrier that prevents someone from receiving care. The bill creates an Abortion Access Fund within the Illinois Department of Public Health to support uninsured and underinsured patients. These dollars come from a separate premium that insurers are already required to collect under the Affordable Care Act — funds that, by law, can only be used for abortion care beyond the narrow circumstances permitted by the federal government. Other states, including Maryland and California, already use these funds to expand access. Illinois should do the same.

As more patients travel here because of restrictions elsewhere, Illinois must be prepared to meet the demand for safe, evidence‑based care, and we must ensure that all Illinoisans who need reproductive health care receive it. HB5408 strengthens that commitment. It builds on the work our state has already done to ensure that Medicaid and private insurance covering pregnancy also cover abortion services, and it aligns with the efforts Gov. JB Pritzker and the General Assembly have made to expand access on college campuses and in communities across the state.

Planned Parenthood Illinois Action has noted that HB5408 is a critical step toward equitable access. I appreciate their partnership and dedication of all the providers who serve patients with dignity and compassion.

The Tribune’s reporting makes clear that Illinois’ role as a haven for reproductive health care is not theoretical. It is the reality for thousands of people. We have a responsibility to ensure that anyone seeking care in our state can receive it safely, legally and without financial hardship. HB5408 helps us further meet that responsibility, and I will continue this work as the bill makes its way through the state Senate.

— State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin

Protect seniors from exploitation

Illinois lawmakers should act now to protect older adults from financial exploitation by passing House Bill 4767. This commonsense legislation will give financial institutions the tools they need to stop suspicious transactions before seniors lose their life savings — and their sense of security.

The need is urgent. According to the FBI, fraud losses among older adults nationwide reached $4.9 billion in 2024, a 43% increase from the year before. The average victim lost more than $83,000, roughly 3 1/2 years of Social Security income. Illinois ranks among the top 10 states for complaints and total losses reported by residents age 60 and older, and financial exploitation remains the most commonly reported form of abuse to Adult Protective Services.

Older adults are often targeted because they are perceived as trusting, polite and less likely to report fraud out of embarrassment or confusion. Too often, by the time exploitation is detected, the money is gone for good.

HB4767, introduced by state Rep. Katie Stuart, would help stop these crimes before they happen. The bill allows financial institutions to temporarily pause suspicious transactions and contact a trusted representative when exploitation is suspected. It also strengthens reporting requirements so that cases can be investigated quickly — protecting not just one victim but also others who might be targeted next.

We all have a responsibility to ensure older adults can age with dignity and security — not fear. Preventing financial exploitation before it occurs is one of the most effective ways to do that.

I urge readers to contact their state legislators and ask them to co-sponsor and vote “yes” on HB4767.

— Mary Killough, director, Illinois Department on Aging

Give EPA the resources it needs

With the celebrations of Earth Week having concluded, I fear that our vigilance around caring for our environment will again be relegated to the back burner. As a father of three and a local pastor, I care deeply about the creation around us and the protections we have in place to care for it.

I am originally from Cleveland; yes, the “Mistake on the Lake.” It’s not every day that one’s river catches fire. But the Cuyahoga River combusting due to pollutants from corporate dumping was one of the keystone events in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. In short, we all need clean air and water protections, limits on pollutants released by companies and protection of public lands. All these things are currently under attack in the interest of short-term private and corporate gains. This approach is dangerous and kicks the can down the road in creating problems that our children and grandchildren will be forced to deal with. We are borrowing the earth’s resources at the expense of our children’s ability to have as beautiful a planet as we have enjoyed, in a way that is unsustainable and irresponsible.

I encourage readers to call their U.S. senators and representatives and urge them to contact the leadership of the Appropriations Committee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies and call for full funding of the Environmental Protection Agency in 2027. That would enable research and enforcement on issues of environmental justice and threat to public health and safety.

We only have this one home, which we all share. It is vital that we prioritize care of it.

— Rev. Scott Oberle, Downers Grove

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