Yorkville’s potential status as one of the fastest-growing cities in Illinois means that approximately $1,000,000 in additional state funds could be available to support road construction, promote community development, and better fund city employees and agencies.

To answer the question of how many people have moved into the community, the Board of Management approved a special partial count at its Aug. 21 meeting to determine how much additional state income tax will flow to Yorkville.

The city receives $250 per resident annually in state tax payouts based on population. The 2020 U.S. Census reported Yorkville’s population as 21,533.

City Manager Bart Olson said city officials estimate 4,000 new residents have called Yorkville home since the last census. He said those new residents should bring in an additional $1,000,000 in state funding.

Olson said the increasing number of new households is expected to push Yorkville’s population to 25,500 to 26,000. Kendall County currently has the fastest-growing population in the state.

“The majority of the money, about $824,000, would go into the general fund,” Olson said in an interview. “The remaining $176,000 would be allocated to the city’s fuel tax fund to pay for road improvements.”

One of the potentially serious implications of measuring a higher population is that once the Illinois Secretary of State certifies that a community has a population of more than 25,000, it becomes eligible for home rule status.

Home rule status allows municipalities to conduct city government with greater authority without having to seek approval from state agencies. City staff can more quickly find solutions to local problems by implementing new policies, establishing new regulations, and enacting new taxes.

Another possible impact is that strong population growth may lead to a reorganization of constituencies.

Since we are currently between two censuses, Yorkville would have to fund the special census itself. Olson said Yorkville has funded four special censuses in the past, with the 2017 partial census providing Yorkville residents with an additional $500,000 annually.

In Illinois, excise taxes, as well as cannabis and fuel taxes, are also calculated per capita.

Olson said a partial census is cheaper than a full census and captures high-growth neighborhoods based on new building permits.

The city budget currently allocates $200,000 to conduct the special census, pending full approval by the City Council.