70 ILCS 1205/5-9

(70 ILCS 1205/5-9) (from Ch. 105, par. 5-9)

Sec. 5-9.

Any park district may levy and collect annually, a tax of not
to exceed .025 per cent of the value, as equalized or assessed by the
Department of Revenue of all taxable property in the
district for the purpose of organizing and maintaining a police system, for implementing and maintaining public safety and security measures, or both
within the parks and playgrounds maintained by the district.
The tax shall be levied and collected in the same manner
as the general taxes for the district.  This tax
shall be in addition to all other taxes authorized by law to be levied and
collected in the district and shall not be included within
any limitation of rate contained in this Code or any other law, but shall
be excluded therefrom and be in addition thereto and in excess thereof.

The proceeds of the tax authorized by this Section shall be paid to
the treasurer of the district and kept in a fund to be known as the
police and public safety and security fund. This fund shall be used for the organization and
maintaining of a police system including the hiring of a regular
policeman or police force for the purpose of policing the parks and
playgrounds maintained within the district or for public safety and security measures.

Prior to levy and collection of such tax, the park districts shall
adopt a resolution that it shall levy and collect such tax, and, within
15 days after adopting the resolution, it shall be published once in a
newspaper published and having a general circulation in the park
district, or, if there is no such newspaper, then in some newspaper
having a general circulation in the county wherein such district or the
greater or greatest portion in area of said district lies, or, if there
be no such newspaper, copies of the ordinance shall be posted in at
least three public places in the district. The publication or posting of
the resolution shall include a notice of (1) the specific number of voters
required to sign a petition requesting that the question of the adoption of
the resolution be submitted to the electors of the district; (2) the time
in which the petition must be filed; and (3) the date of the prospective referendum.

The Secretary of the governing board of the park district shall provide
a petition form to any individual requesting one.

If within this 30 day period a petition is filed, signed by electors of
the district numbering 10% or more of the registered voters of the
district, asking that the question of levying and collecting such tax be
submitted to the electors of the district, the board shall certify the
question to the proper election officials, who shall submit that question
at an election in which all the electors of the district may vote. If no
such valid petition is filed with the secretary of the district within 30
days after the publication or posting of the resolution, then the park
district shall be authorized to levy and collect such tax. Notice of such
referendum shall be given and such referendum shall be conducted in the
manner provided by the general election law.

The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall the.... Park District be authorized
and empowered to levy and collect a tax of        YES
.... per cent for the purpose of police       ----------------
programs, public safety and security measures,    NO
or both as provided in Section 5-9 of
the Park District Code?
--------------------------------------------------------------

If a majority of the voters of such district voting thereon
vote for the levy and collection of the tax provided for, such
district shall be authorized and empowered to levy and collect such tax
annually thereafter for a police system, public safety and security measures, or both. If the park district has police officers, the police officers must complete the training program
established under the Illinois Police Training Act. The foregoing
limitations upon tax rates may be increased or decreased according to
the referendum provisions of the General Revenue Law of the State of
Illinois.

If a majority of voters of a park district have approved a proposition under this Section for "police programs" prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the levy approved may also be used for public safety and security measures.

As used in this Section, "public safety and security measures" includes, but is not limited to, security personnel, special-events staff, safety audits, safety drills, active-shooter training or similar training, and security improvements or safety-related upgrades to buildings, grounds, or other facilities, such as security lighting, video cameras, metal detectors, and emergency call boxes.

(Source: P.A. 103-235, eff. 6-30-23.)