Repository: UIHistories Project: UIS Long Range Plan - 1970 (Sangamon State Univ) [PAGE 101]

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city limits over the past several years. The refusal of water extensions is about the only way the City has to encourage annexation to build the tax base. Since it is the policy of the City that a water extension will only be made if the property is annexed, in July of 1970, a promise was made to the Mayor and City Council that Sangamon State University would initiate annexation proceedings in order to get the City to agree to extend water lines to the interim campus. An exception was made for Sangamon with the explicit understanding that the campus property would be annexed as soon as possible. The primary reason a taxing body such as the City or Park District would desire to have the campus property annexed is so that adjacent land with rapid development potential can become contiguous. If land cannot become contiguous, it cannot be annexed. Governments are formed with the principle purpose of providing services. The alternative of not annexing would necessitate a duplication of those services by Sangamon State University or another governmental unit. Should the University provide its own services, it would be much like establishing a new, independent city within a city, thus adding to the already enormous problem of proliferating governmental units and single purpose districts, each duplicating municipal services. Presently there are 135 separate taxing units of government within Sangamon County distributed as follows: 27 Townships 26 Road and Bridge Districts 25 Corporate Units 26 Fire Districts 25 School Districts 6 Special Districts The campus property, or a portion thereof, is presently within nine (9) taxing districts including: Sangamon County Woodside Township Woodside Road and Bridge District School District / 5 (Ball-Chatham) / Junior College District #526 Springfield Auditorium and Exposition Authority Springfield Mass Transit District City of Springfield