Suburban Government
After a vote in 1849, the Illinois
state legislature created the township form of government. The township form of government operates at
local levels and was designed to serve the basic needs of the community through
operating in close proximity to the people it serves. DuPage County was divided
into nine townships, one of them being DuPage. Before the nineteenth century
there was no “suburban government” and therefore townships offered a new type
of governance. Lisle, for example, began
as a portion of then DuPage Township. The township was later renamed Lisle
because it held the same name as another township in Will County and in
accordance with State law had to be changed.
Townships performed the basic functions of taxation, law enforcement, building roads, running schools, and holding elections. Because a township was not a formal, incorporated government, it could be annexed and subjected to the rule of another city. As a result, residents of townships did not like the potential instability of their communities under the current form of government. Another advantage of incorporation was the increased taxing powers, higher debt limits, and the ability to provide many urban infrastructure improvements. In return, two types of local government arose to meet the needs of communities, i.e. town or township and city or village.
In Illinois there are different definitions for a “town” or a “village”. Each designation has its own set of rules for how the government will be run. The township was not considered an incorporated government; but rather an arm of the state. A township is imposed by the state, while a village is initiated by a community and approved by the state. The Village of Lisle was the result of a grassroots initiative to seek out incorporation by residents for their community. Suburban government can be viewed as grassroots rule, authority in the hands of friends and neighbors that are tailored to their needs and concerns. The creation of a village allowed the ability to levy taxes, issue zoning rights, and create and maintain a police force; along with creating other services. On the other hand, school districts, fire protection and sewage treatment often have a name that suggests an association with a particular village; however, they often serve numerous municipalities and are separate from the government.
Townships performed the basic functions of taxation, law enforcement, building roads, running schools, and holding elections. Because a township was not a formal, incorporated government, it could be annexed and subjected to the rule of another city. As a result, residents of townships did not like the potential instability of their communities under the current form of government. Another advantage of incorporation was the increased taxing powers, higher debt limits, and the ability to provide many urban infrastructure improvements. In return, two types of local government arose to meet the needs of communities, i.e. town or township and city or village.
In Illinois there are different definitions for a “town” or a “village”. Each designation has its own set of rules for how the government will be run. The township was not considered an incorporated government; but rather an arm of the state. A township is imposed by the state, while a village is initiated by a community and approved by the state. The Village of Lisle was the result of a grassroots initiative to seek out incorporation by residents for their community. Suburban government can be viewed as grassroots rule, authority in the hands of friends and neighbors that are tailored to their needs and concerns. The creation of a village allowed the ability to levy taxes, issue zoning rights, and create and maintain a police force; along with creating other services. On the other hand, school districts, fire protection and sewage treatment often have a name that suggests an association with a particular village; however, they often serve numerous municipalities and are separate from the government.