Madison County Board member David Michael says he hears a lot of complaints about high property taxes as he speaks with residents.
His comments to the Metro East Sun came after a study of tax burden by state by the nonprofit Truth in Accounting that found Illinois residents pay far higher taxes than the national average. Out of 50 states, the study found that Illinois households pay the second highest per capita taxes, after New Jersey.
“It's the number one issue,” Michael said of property tax rates in a Nov 15 interview. He said he was not surprised by the study’s findings. “Almost everybody has to pay (property taxes).”
Michael said over the course of his campaign for his current seat on the County Board, he knocked on 2,000 doors, and not one person said property taxes aren’t high enough.
Pointing out that these taxes go to fund local governments, Michael said more fiscal discipline could help avoid higher tax burdens.
“A big part of it is overspending,” Michael said. “It's hard to change the ‘old guard’ … very few individuals want to take a stand.”
Michael said there is a mandate to make things more efficient, and that may mean eliminating some jobs. It’s nothing personal against the people who hold those jobs, he added.
Michael noted the value of using the most state-of-the-art resources to operate state and local governments. “Technology can really help us to advance,” he said, using the example of online billing that he estimated saved the state treasurer's office 27 percent since its initiation.
“I think they've done a good job on that,” Michael said.
However, he did note that establishment politics within the state can have an obstructive effect and delay getting this new technology in place.
“Some people are on a board for two decades, and they don't want to change anything,” Michael said.
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