ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – Continuing his efforts to be an accessible representative, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, talked with constituents at his Coffee with Sam event at Main Street Cafe in Round Lake Park. Yingling gave an update on his work on the Property Tax Relief Commission, and then gathered feedback from attendees on what they would like to see him advocate for moving forward. Throughout his time in office, Yingling has made it a priority to listen to constituents, holding multiple town halls and community events throughout his district.

“The best way for me to accurately represent my constituents in Springfield is to hear directly from them,” said Yingling. “Face-to-face conversations are invaluable as they show me what my constituents are thinking and what they want in the future. I want to thank everyone who took the time out of their weekend to meet with me, and I encourage any resident with questions or concerns to reach out to my office.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In light of ongoing meetings of the Property Tax Relief Task Force, state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, is calling for the General Assembly to immediately pass a statewide property tax freeze during the upcoming veto session.

“Democrats and Republicans on the Property Tax Relief Task Force must work together to actively craft a comprehensive package to bring meaningful property relief to the people of Illinois,” DeLuca said. “We’ve been battling the issue of high property taxes for a long time and I myself voted to freeze or cut property taxes repeatedly over the past few years. Relief for Illinois homeowners is long overdue.”

DeLuca’s current call for a statewide freeze is not without precedent. In past legislative sessions, DeLuca voted to cut or freeze property taxes in Illinois at least 19 times. The Property Tax Relief Task Force, made up of members from both parties and chambers, has been meeting since early August. The final report of the Task Force must be given to Gov. J.B. Pritzker by the end of the year with any changes that include short- and long-term solutions to providing relief for homeowners.

“While the Task Force’s meetings have been productive, my fear is that we are still a long ways away from meaningful relief,” DeLuca said. “In the meantime, I think it’s prudent we take steps that the General Assembly has taken before and that is voting to freeze property taxes statewide.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Fighting to provide more tax relief for local families through his newly created Property Tax Relief Task Force, state Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, will serve as the chair of the Government Consolidation subcommittee to examine thousands of bureaucratic governmental entities that inflate middle-class families’ property taxes.

“I pledged to my constituents that I would work to lower property taxes, and eliminating duplicative units of government will help ease the tax burden,” said Carroll. “Families in my district already pay too much, and they deserve a break. My work from this committee will generate bipartisan solutions to reducing property taxes for homeowners across Illinois.”

Carroll has led the charge for property tax relief in Springfield, and the latest reform he passed was Senate Bill 1932, which created the Property Tax Relief Task Force. The task force consists of seven subcommittees proposing various solutions for direct property tax relief. Carroll chairs the Government Consolidation subcommittee where he and other lawmakers will examine township elimination, shared services between municipalities and more.

Carroll also supported other property tax relief measures like the Property Tax Relief Fund, a township dissolution measure and a balanced budget that better funds schools, easing the heavy local reliance on property taxes, and a new law that creates a five-year pilot program designed to ease the application process for the Senior Homestead Exemption for Cook County seniors.

“Illinois has taken great steps this year to address one of its most crushing problems, and now Republicans and Democrats must work together to propose those solutions,” said Carroll. “We owe it to middle-class families to lower these taxes and finally do what is right for them.”

RED BUD, Ill. – To continue working to address skyrocketing property taxes in Southern Illinois, state Rep. Nathan Reitz, D-Steeleville, was recently appointed to the School Funding subcommittee on the newly formed Property Tax Relief Task Force tasked with finding new ways to reduce the property tax burden on local families.

“We must build a stronger Illinois by building a stronger middle class, and that begins with fighting for fairer taxes that do not punish Southern Illinoisans for owning a home and building a life here,” said Reitz. “Our children deserve access to the same world-class education afforded to students in Chicago, but the burden to fund our schools should not fall on homeowners.”

During his first legislative session in Springfield, Reitz sponsored Senate Bill 39, to create a property tax relief rebate for homeowners, and Senate Bill 1932, which created the Property Tax Relief Task Force, to which he was recently appointed. Since his appointment to the task force, Reitz has been appointed to the School Funding subcommittee.

“One of my top priorities as state Representative is to create more economic opportunities for Southern Illinois by attracting more businesses and creating more jobs,” continued Reitz. “To bring more opportunity to our region, our government must stop overtaxing residents and driving our neighbors to move out of state. As a member of this task force I will continue working with both Democrats and Republicans to address Illinois’ outrageous property tax problem.”

For more information, contact Rep. Reitz’s constituent service office by calling 618-282-7284 or by emailing RepNReitz@gmail.com.

SPRINGFILED, Ill. – As a member of the newly created Property Tax Relief Task Force, state Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, will serve on the Government Consolidation and School Funding subcommittees to examine excessive units of local government and fight for greater state investment for local schools.

“When I go door to door, the number one issue local residents mention is the sky-high cost of property taxes,” said Yednock. “I pledged to build a stronger middle class and better Illinois, and that is why property tax relief is so critical. I will work with Democrats and Republicans to eliminate government bureaucracy and demand that Springfield do more to pay for its schools.”

Yednock supported Senate Bill 1932, which created the Property Tax Relief Task Force. The task force consists of seven subcommittees aimed at finding multiple areas to target for direct property tax relief. Yednock will serve as a member of both the Government Consolidation and School Funding subcommittees to develop bipartisan solutions for reducing property taxes.

Yednock also supported other property tax relief measures like the Property Tax Relief Fund and a balanced budget that infuses an additional $375 million to schools.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on this task force, and I will work to find meaningful solutions to address property taxes,” said Yednock. “Illinois can and must do more to lower its burdensome property taxes, and we can do that by examining the need of every layer of government and investing much more into our schools.”

CHICAGO – State Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D- Chicago, is highlighting the need for concrete property tax relief for Illinois homeowners.

“With the recent creation of the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund and the Illinois Property Tax Relief Task Force, Illinois is closer than ever to delivering real property tax relief to homeowners,” Lilly said. “Far too many homeowners in our state are burdened by skyrocketing property taxes, even when their home values drop.”

Lilly backed Senate Bill 39 to create the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund and Senate Bill 1932 to create the Illinois Property Tax Relief Task Force. Both measures were recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The Property Tax Relief Fund will provide property tax rebates to homeowners who claim the general homestead exemption and the rebates will appear as a line item on the property tax bills of homeowners. The Property Tax Relief Task Force will identify offer specific policy recommendations for legislative and administrative reforms to create short- and long-term property tax relief for homeowners. Lilly has previously supported expanding property tax exemptions for homeowners and supported a multiyear, statewide property tax freeze.

“We need to send a message to Illinois homeowners that the days of out-of-control property taxes are coming to an end by not only providing direct property tax relief, but also reforming our broken property tax system,” Lilly said. “A critical part of my pledge to build a stronger Illinois is to institute fairer taxes for the middle class, and that can only happen by reducing the crippling burden of property taxes.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, is applauding the enactment of vital property tax relief efforts to help homeowners save money and a new task force to offer solutions to lower taxes.

“Families across the South Suburbs have seen declining home values with skyrocketing taxes and little to no relief offered to them,” Jones said. “It is a critical step toward relief with these new policies in place. Overtime, homeowners will receive rebates to offset their taxes, and the task force will propose other ideas to lower property tax burdens further.”

Jones supported Senate Bill 1932, which creates the Property Tax Relief Task Force. The governor signed the measure into law, and the task force will produce a report outlining structural and legislative reforms that will provide both short- and long-term relief for homeowners. 

Jones also supported Senate Bill 39, which establishes the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund. The fund will provide homeowners with annual rebates to lower their property taxes.

Jones is calling on Pritzker to remove the burdensome annual application requirement Cook County seniors currently face in order to receive the Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption, by signing House Bill 833. The measure would allow local seniors to keep their exemption without reapplying. Cook County is currently the only county in Illinois where seniors are legally mandated to complete and submit paperwork annually just to apply for the exemption.

Earlier this year, Jones passed House Resolution 56, which details his plan to revitalize the economy for the area and also foster more job growth. Included in his five-point plan to revitalize the local economy, property tax relief was a priority so homeowners could not only keep more of their money but help stimulate local businesses and job growth.

“Building a stronger Illinois will take a lot of work, but finding new ways to ease the burden of property taxes will be good for the middle class,” Jones said. “I look forward to the new efforts to lower taxes for middle-class families, and I will be a strong voice for our community in Springfield.”

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, D-Naperville, will work to provide critical property tax relief for suburban homeowners as a member of the state’s newly created Property Tax Relief Tax Force, which will push for reforms to provide both long-term and immediate relief.

“Rising property taxes are a growing issue in our suburban communities, and as a member of this task force I’ll have the opportunity to be a part of the conversations on how to enact meaningful property tax relief,” said Stava-Murray.

Stava-Murray co-sponsored Senate Bill 1932 to create the Property Tax Relief Task Force, which is tasked with developing comprehensive solutions to provide long and short-term property tax relief to Illinois homeowners. As a member of the bipartisan task force, Stava-Murray will work with members of both parties and other stakeholders to report proposals for reform by the end of the year.

To provide additional relief to local families and seniors, Stava-Murray also voted for a new law to create a property tax rebate for homeowners.

“Families move in to our communities because of the schools, parks, libraries and safe neighborhoods. We can fund these vital services without driving families out of their homes due to increasing property taxes,” Stava-Murray added. “I am eager to work with Democratic and Republican members of this task force to brainstorm creative, comprehensive solutions to the local property tax crisis.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Given his longstanding track record of fiercely advocating to rein in property taxes, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D–Grayslake, will serve as co-chair of the Illinois Property Tax Relief Commission to find comprehensive solutions to reduce the tax burden on middle class families.

“My community has had enough of a regressive property tax system that places a disproportionate burden on working families and seniors. They need solutions,” Yingling said. “During my time in the General Assembly, I’ve worked to rein property taxes by reducing the size of government and making it more accountable to local taxpayers. I look forward to working in a bipartisan way to put all of our ideas on the table and deliver real relief for local homeowners.” 

Yingling’s experience leading both the House Government Consolidation & Modernization Committee and the Counties & Townships Committee has equipped him with a valuable understanding of the systemic issues facing Illinois. In 2017, he led the charge on a monumental government consolidation measure that provided a mechanism for the reduction or dissolution of local taxing bodies.

This spring, Yingling passed legislation to make property tax bills more transparent, ensuring local taxpayers know where their tax dollars are going. He also voted to create the Property Tax Relief Fund, which will provide local homeowners who receive a general homestead exemption yearly rebates. 

“It is unacceptable that families are being forced out of their homes because of skyrocketing property taxes,” Yingling said. “In order to build a stronger Illinois for middle class families and seniors we must find comprehensive solutions to address this crisis.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  – In an effort to help provide real tax relief for Illinois homeowners, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, was selected to serve on the newly created Property Tax Relief Task Force.  The bipartisan working group is charged with finding solutions to lowering property taxes across Illinois.

“Rising property taxes are making it increasingly more difficult to make ends meet,” Feigenholtz said. “Illinois can and must do better to address the causes of increasing and prohibitive property taxes.”

Feigenholtz supported Senate Bill 1932, creating the Property Tax Relief Task Force. The bipartisan working group’s goals are to make short and long-term recommendations for administrative, electoral and legislative changes that result in property tax relief for homeowners. The group will submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and Governor for further action. 

Feigenholtz notes the importance of linking property tax relief with the shift to a fair income tax, a measure that voters will decide on in the upcoming election cycle. She supported a number of other efforts to address property taxes. These include the bipartisan balanced budget passed this spring which increases funding to local school districts by an additional $375 million, which will be paid out of the state general revenue fund. These increased contributions from the state are designed to reduce the pressure on local government from having to increase property taxes. Feigenholtz also supported the newly created Property Tax Relief Fund to offer rebates to those claiming a homeowner’s exemption. 

“2019 was a historic year in Springfield. Our new Governor has what it takes to enact massive reforms — and he knows that property tax reform is up next,” Feigenholtz said. “Illinois does best when the middle class is positioned to make its own financial decisions. I am committed to finding innovative solutions that will lift up Illinois.”