Section 20 ILCS 605/605-940 - Clearing house for local government problems; aid with financial and administrative mattersThe Department shall provide for a central clearing house for information concerning local government problems and various solutions to those problems and shall assist and aid local governments of the State in matters relating to budgets, fiscal procedures, and administration. In performing this responsibility the Department shall have the power and duty to do the following:
(1) Maintain communication with all local governments and assist them, at their request, to improve their administrative procedures and to facilitate improved local government and development.(2) Assemble and disseminate information concerning State and federal programs, grants, gifts, and subsidies available to local governments and to provide counsel and technical services and other assistance in applying for those programs, grants, gifts, and subsidies.(3) Assist in coordinating activities by obtaining information, on forms provided by the Department or by receipt of proposals and applications, concerning State and federal assisted programs, grants, gifts, and subsidies applied for and received by all local governments.(4) Provide direct consultative services to local governments upon request and provide staff services to special commissions, the Governor, or the General Assembly or its committees.(5) Render advice and assistance with respect to the establishment and maintenance of programs for the training of local government officials and other personnel.(6) Act as the official State agency for the receipt and distribution of federal funds that are or may be provided to the State on a flat grant basis for distribution to local governments or in the event federal law requires a State agency to implement programs affecting local governments and for State funds that are or may be provided for the use of local governments unless otherwise provided by law.(7) Administer laws relating to local government affairs as the General Assembly may direct.(8) Provide all advice and assistance to improve local government administration, ensure the economical and efficient provision of local government services, and make the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois effective.(9) Give advice and counsel on fiscal problems of local governments of the State to those local governments.(10) Prepare uniform budgetary forms for use by the local governments of the State.(11) Assist and advise the local governments of the State in matters pertaining to budgets, appropriation requests and ordinances, the determination of property tax levies and rates, and other matters of a financial nature.(12) Be a repository for financial reports and statements required by law of local governments of the State, and publish financial summaries of those reports and statements.(14) Prepare proposals and advise on the investment of idle local government funds.(15) Administer the program of grants, loans, and loan guarantees under the federal Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. 3121 and following, and receive and disburse State and federal funds provided for that program and moneys received as repayments of loans made under the program.(16) After January 1, 1985, upon the request of local governments, prepare and provide model financial statement forms designed to communicate to taxpayers, service consumers, voters, government employees, and news media, in a non-technical manner, all significant financial information regarding a particular local government, and to prepare and provide to local governments a summary of local governments' obligations concerning the adoption of an annual operating budget. The summary shall be set forth in a non-technical manner and shall be designed principally for distribution to, and the use of, taxpayers, service consumers, voters, government employees, and news media.Renumbered from 20 ILCS 605/46.37. P.A. 91-239, eff. 1/1/2000; 92-16, eff. 6/28/2001.