AURORA, Ill. – State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is inviting small business owners and residents to a town hall event on the Fair Tax plan, co-hosted with state Rep. Karina Villa (D-Batavia), on Tuesday, Oct. 22nd at 7 p.m. at Two Brothers Roundhouse, located at 205 N. Broadway in Aurora.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and it is my priority as a state representative to provide information on the Fair Tax and its potential implications for business owners,” said Hernandez. “I strongly encourage business owners to attend to learn about this new legislation and ask questions.”

Hernandez and Villa will be joined by Ralph Matire, the Director of Tax and Budget Accountability, a bipartisan think tank working to promote economic justice in communities. They will update attendees on the Fair Tax and the efforts to provide relief for local businesses, as well as answering questions from guests. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information on this event, or to RSVP, please contact Hernandez’s constituent services office at 630-270-1848 or email RepBarbaraHernandez@gmail.com.

Who:     State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, State Rep. Karina Villa, and the Center for  Tax    

and Budget Accountability

What:    Small Business Fair Tax Town Hall

When:  Tuesday, Oct. 22nd from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: Two Brothers Roundhouse, located at 205 N. Broadway in Aurora

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – To help residents learn about the property tax assessment process and the appeals process, state Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, invites local homeowners to her informational property tax assessment seminar on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 7 pm to 8 pm at the Ela Township Community Center located at 380 Surryse Rd. in Lake Zurich.

“Rising property taxes are an increasing concern among families in our community who simply want to work hard, raise their families, and keep their homes,” said Edly-Allen. “It’s important for residents to fully understand how the property tax assessment process works so that they can make the best decisions to appeal their taxes and potentially reduce their tax bills. This informational seminar presented by the experts will equip homeowners with the tools they need to save more of their hard-earned money.”

Ela Township Assessor John Barrington and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim will explain the role of assessors, how the assessment process works and how homeowners can appeal their property assessment to reduce their tax burden. The event is free and open to the public.

“As a member of the newly-formed Property Tax Relief Task Force, I have been working with a coalition of Democrats and Republicans from across the state to find creative and comprehensive solutions to the state’s property tax crisis,” Edly-Allen added.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, is promoting a new tax amnesty program, which will relieve financial burdens on middle-class families by offering a window to pay off back taxes without late fees or interest charges.

“The hard-working taxpayers in our community have a chance to pay off back taxes without the extra strain of interest payments and tacked-on fees,” Carroll said. “Our families deserve better than a mountain of debt that they can never overcome. I want to build a stronger Illinois, where everyone has financial opportunity to thrive, and paying off your debts is a positive step in that direction.”

Carroll backed a recent law, Senate Bill 689, which creates an opportunity for any taxpayer who owes back taxes from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2018, to pay back their full debt without any late fees or interest payments. More information on the program is available on the Illinois Department of Revenue’s website, tax.illinois.gov.

“Illinois taxpayers have had to put up with an unfair tax burden for years; that some people couldn’t keep up with their taxes isn’t a shock,” Carroll said. “Now those people have a chance to start fresh. I will keep fighting to build a better system based on a balanced budget and fairer property taxes so more people can afford to own homes.”

AURORA, Ill. – Continuing her efforts to fight for fairer taxes for local residents and grow the economy, state Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, is partnering with state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, to host a Small Business Fair Tax Town Hall.

“As the daughter of local small business owners, I understand that small businesses are the backbone of our local economy,” said Villa. “I will continue fighting for real tax relief and working to build a high-wage economy because building a stronger Illinois begins with building a stronger middle class.”

Small business owners, and those interested in learning more about the Fair Tax and the impact it could have on the local economy are invited to join Villa and Hernandez for their Small Business Fair Tax Town Hall. Villa, Hernandez and Ralph Martire, Executive Director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability will discuss efforts to provide relief for small and medium-sized businesses and strengthen our local economy.

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Villa’s constituent service office at 630-326-9319 or at StateRepKarinaVilla@gmail.com.

WHO:             State Rep. Karina Villa

                       State Rep. Barbara Hernandez

                       Ralph Martire, Executive Director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability

WHAT:          Small Business Fair Tax Town Hall

WHEN:          Tuesday, Oct. 22

                       7 to 9 p.m.

WHERE:       Two Brothers Roundhouse

                        205 N. Broadway

                        Aurora

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.”

​CALUMET CITY, Ill. – State Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, is informing local taxpayers of a new tax amnesty program which will ease the financial burden on working and middle-class families by offering an opportunity to pay off back taxes without interest or late fees.

“Late fees and extra costs can make back taxes impossible to pay off, but right now, taxpayers have an opportunity to pay down back taxes without any extra costs,” Jones said. “Our working families don’t have to live with the stress of old debts hanging over their head.”

Jones helped pass Senate Bill 689, which creates an opportunity for any taxpayer who owes back taxes from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2018, to pay back their full debt without any late fees or interest payments. More information on the program is available on Illinois Department of Revenue’s website, tax.illinois.gov.

“Many honest, hardworking people can have a hard time keeping up with taxes, including a lot of self-employed professionals and small business owners in our community,” Jones said. “I’m working to ease the burden by creating property tax refunds for people who need it most, or making the rich pay their fair share in income taxes.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  – State Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D-Chicago, is highlighting an upcoming tax amnesty program offered by the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR), which offers local taxpayers the opportunity to eliminate back taxes that may be owed to the state without penalty.

“For whatever reason someone may owe back taxes, a tax amnesty program gives them the ability to become current and relieve a debt,” Lilly said. “The weight of outstanding taxes not only burdens an individual with a tax debt, but it can also harm our economy by preventing otherwise eligible people from being able to make critical investments in their life, such as purchasing a home.”

The IDOR tax amnesty program was created as part of a Lilly-backed law, Senate Bill 689, and gives consumers and businesses the opportunity to pay outstanding taxes with penalties and interested waived if the tax liability occurred between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2018. In order to have interest and penalties waved, a taxpayer must pay all outstanding tax from the period covered by the amnesty. Taxpayers who failed to file tax returns during the applicable amnesty period and those who need to make changes to previously filed returns are eligible for the program. Additional information on tax liabilities that qualify for amnesty and payment options can be found at IDOR’s website, tax.illinois.gov.

“If you’ve made a mistake and you owe back taxes to the state of Illinois, now is the time to become current. You can pay what owe and do it without interest or penalty payments,” Lilly said. “I highly encourage anyone who has a tax debt to the state to check their eligibility for this amnesty program.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As a part of her continuing efforts to rein in skyrocketing property taxes throughout DuPage County, state Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, passed legislation to close a property tax loophole in state statute that has allowed DuPage Airport Authority tenants to skip out on nearly $770,000 in overdue property tax payments.

“Property taxes on DuPage County homeowners have continued to soar, while tenants of the DuPage County Airport Authority have avoided paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in bills,” said Costa Howard.  “Homeowners can’t just refuse to pay their property tax bills with no repercussions. It is wrong and unfair that the tenants of the airport authority have been exploiting this loophole, racking up enormous bills, and passing the cost onto property owners.”

Under their leases with the DuPage County Airport Authority, business tenants agree to pay their property taxes. If those tenants decide not to pay, however, they face no legal penalties because the airport property can’t be seized for noncompliance and sold in a tax sale.

Costa Howard’s Senate Bill 1041 would hold scofflaw businesses that operate on public airport authority property accountable by imposing a fine equal to the amount of taxes owed. Costa Howard’s measure, backed by the Illinois Municipal League and DuPage County elected officials, passed the Illinois House and Senate with strong bipartisan support and has been sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk for consideration.

“Closing this loophole in state statute is just common sense, so I urge the governor to sign this legislation into law,” continued Costa Howard. “We need to make every effort to ease the property tax burden on DuPage County homeowners.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –Members of Grayslake’s Carillon North Community visited Springfield Thursday to speak in support of pro-taxpayer measures being championed by state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake.

“This group of Grayslake residents are joining me in my fight to freeze property taxes and give local homeowners the relief that they deserve,” said Yingling. “Today, we sent a loud message to Springfield politicians that we will not allow ourselves to be taxed out of our homes. It’s time for real and meaningful tax relief that helps middle-class families and senior citizens.”

Residents spoke in support of Yingling’s measures to freeze property taxes, expand property tax relief for seniors and encourage government consolidation during a hearing of the House Revenue & Finance Committee on Thursday. The group has been engaged in on-going conversations with Yingling and the trip to the Capitol was organized by Yingling and Grayslake residents Paul Bernardoni and Bill Morris.