Hoffman-Backed Education Funding Reform Provides Property Tax Relief

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, recently supported a landmark education funding reform plan that takes steps toward real property tax relief for local families while also providing millions more in funding to Metro-East schools.

“I had two priorities while the negotiations on school funding reforms were ongoing,” Hoffman said. “I wanted to ensure a more equitable formula that gives Metro-East schools their fair share, and I wanted provisions included that will help offer property tax relief for families in our community.”

Hoffman supported Senate Bill 1947, a bipartisan education funding reform that provides an additional $15 million in annual funds to Metro-East schools. The proposal contains an evidence-based formula that provides permanent funding for local schools, as well as several provisions that will offer property tax relief by giving greater local control to residents.

Hoffman fought against proposals backed by Gov. Rauner that would have taken funds away from school districts lying in a TIF district—which would have stripped funding from many already cash-strapped schools in the Metro-East. The governor’s drastic cuts to local schools would have forced a back-door property tax increase, causing up to a 42% increase in property taxes for some residents in District 112.

“Families in our community could not afford the governor’s misguided bait and switch property tax hike,” Hoffman said. “The historic, bipartisan reform we passed fixes our broken education funding system that has shortchanged Metro-East communities for over a decade while also reducing the property tax burden on local families.”