The Peoria County Auditor's Office will remain funded by taxpayers, for now.
That's the order of Peoria County Judge James Mack. He issued a preliminary injunction Monday requiring the county to continue funding the office past its previously-issued Nov. 30 deadline, while litigation is ongoing.
Auditor Jessica Thomas is suing the county and election commission in a pair of ongoing lawsuits related to her office. She maintains funding should continue through the end of her term in December 2024.
Voters opted to eliminate her office in the last election, but there was no effective date in the final referendum language. The county claims the office is duplicative, and eliminating it saves $150,000 a year.
The next court hearing is Dec. 15.
Jessica Thomas is a member of the WCBU Community Advisory Board. That body doesn't influence newsroom editorial decisions.