Yingling Encourages Residents to Sign Petition, Urge Governor to Sign Measure Increasing Accountability in Lake County Assessor’s Office

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – This week, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, launched a petition drive urging Gov. Rauner to support Yingling’s measure to put a question on the November ballot to make the position of Lake County’s Chief Assessor Officer a popularly elected position, rather than appointed by politicians.

“Lake County homeowners pay some of the highest property tax rates in the country,” said Yingling. “Yet, Lake County residents do not have the opportunity to elect the person who has the final say in their home value assessments that determine how much they pay in property taxes. Instead, the county’s chief assessment officer is appointed by politicians and not held accountable to the voters. Think about this – the person with the final say in our property taxes is held accountable to the politicians who appoint them, not to the voters or homeowners. My bill simply allows the voters to decide this November whether or not they want to continue the current system of appointing bureaucrats and political hires to this important position, or if they want to elect the county assessor themselves.”

Yingling’s Senate Bill 2544 puts a question on the November general election ballot asking voters to decide whether the assessor should be elected. If approved by a majority of voters, the office of Lake County Chief Assessment Officer will be elected at the 2020 general election. The petition drive coincides with the annual distribution of letters to taxpayers from the Lake County Chief County Assessment Office informing them of increases in their property tax assessments. Those letters will begin to arrive in the mailboxes of Lake County homeowners this week.

“I’m going door to door in my district gathering petition signatures to show Governor Rauner how much support this measure has in Lake County. Lake County taxpayers are demanding relief, transparency and accountability,” said Yingling. “Taxpayers want more transparency and accountability in our property tax system, and Governor Rauner will have the opportunity to sign a bill that will do just that.”

The measure passed with bipartisan super-majorities in both the Illinois House and Senate with support from most of the Lake County delegation. The governor will have the opportunity to sign Senate Bill 2544 when it arrives from the Senate.

To request a copy of Yingling’s petition, please contact Yingling’s full-time constituent services office at 847-231-6262 or email RepSamYingling@gmail.com. The petition may also be found online at www.RepSamYingling.com.