Wheeling Township Dems Push for Elimination of Highway Commission

As part of their campaign platform for the upcoming election, Wheeling Township Democrats say they want to pursue positive annexations of unincorporated properties in the township, and give voters the right to decide the future of the highway commission.

“Once elected, [Wheeling Township Democrats] will develop plans to reduce layers of government by eliminating the highway commission and transferring responsibility for township roads to the board,” the group stated in a recent Local Voice contribution on Arlington Heights Patch.

Wheeling Township Supervisor Mike Schroeder, a Republican, said he has been working in a bi-partisan way for years on the issue. He added that when he started as supervisor, there were 9.3 miles of unincorporated roads, and by working with municipalities in the township, that has now been reduced to 5.5 miles. 

“We can't just go to referendum without knowing how to pay for those roads, the tax levy for the highway department would not be transferred to the township if the road district is eliminated,” Schroeder said. “The ability to levy at all would be lost.”

And although there are just over 5 miles of road in unincorporated areas, current Republican Highway Commissioner Scott Saewert said that equals to 450 families who rely on the current services provided by the township, which include snow removal and maintenance of roads, in addition to assistance with drainage and flooding issues.

He also warned that the Democrats’ plan would result in increased taxes.

“The tax levy for the Road District is very small, and I share a significant portion of that levy with the villages in the Township for their own road maintenance,” Saewert said.  “The Democrat plan would take these funds away from the villages, requiring an offsetting village tax increase.”

Meanwhile, Wheeling Township Democratic Trustee Candidate Siobhan White said the township needs to ensure it is implementing sound budgeting practices and trimming costs where possible.

“It is simply unacceptable to not be putting snow removal and the like out for competitive bids," White said in the Local Voices contribution.

Bob Porter, the administrative coordinator for Township Officials of Cook County said the services currently contracted out by the township actually save money.

“Current intergovernmental agreements are more economical, if an outside contract is established, the township would have to pay prevailing wage, which is $39 an hour,” Porter said.

Illinois law allows for a township road district to be dissolved if the area covered goes below four miles, and then there is a clear trail on where the money goes,” said Porter.  

Democrats believe now is the time to make that move and want to bring the question to voters.

The candidate running against Saewert said he is ready to help transition oversight of township roads to the board if the highway commission is eliminated.

"I say this knowing full well that eliminating the Highway Commission also means eliminating the Commissioner's position for which I am running, and I'm fine with that," said .

A similar movement was recently made in

Click here to view candidate profiles for Republicans and Democrats for Wheeling Township.