Metro East Sun

Property taxes in Illinois remain among the highest in the country, with some sources ranking the state as having either the highest or second-highest property tax rate nationwide. Residents in areas such as the south and southwest suburbs of Cook County have faced significant annual increases, impacting many lower-income communities like East St. Louis.

State officials and lawmakers continue to debate solutions. Governor JB Pritzker has recently acknowledged the severity of the property tax issue as he seeks a third term and is considered a potential candidate for president in 2028. "Pritzker is blaming high property taxes on a lack of investment in education in Illinois, and while that may be a part of the problem, what’s needed is real reform and ideas brought to the table by people who understand what is going on," states the release.

Republican lawmakers argue that Democratic policies have contributed to business closures or relocations, which shift more of the tax burden onto residents. They also point to issues with property assessments leading to overvaluation and higher taxes.

During the current Veto Session, several Republican-backed bills aimed at providing property tax relief are awaiting consideration. These include HB 2639, which would increase general homestead exemptions; HB 2642, which seeks improvements to property tax extension laws; HB 2640, which would raise low-income senior freezes; HB1495, proposing a pilot program for relief; HB 2641, offering school district levy exemptions for seniors; HB 1496, limiting assessment increases; and HB 1321, requiring refunds if collections exceed certain thresholds.

State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) has introduced multiple measures targeting these concerns. His bill HB 9 proposes allocating 25% of the state budget toward pension obligations before distributing remaining funds to school districts with a requirement that each dollar received reduces local levies accordingly. "HB 9 would provide property tax relief to all Illinoisans while ensuring the state does not fall further behind on pension payments." State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt), who was elected in 2023 to represent Illinois' 114th House District after LaToya Greenwood's tenure (https://ballotpedia.org/Kevin_Schmidt), supports this measure.

According to proponents, if enacted this fiscal year alone, HB9 could have reduced statewide property taxes by about $2.8 billion with projected savings over two decades nearing $82.4 billion.

Despite these proposals from House Republicans, they claim their initiatives are not being advanced by Democratic leadership: "Commonsense legislation that would lower property taxes deserve to be heard and considered, but the majority party refuses to do its job while putting politics before good public policies."

The debate continues as lawmakers weigh different approaches during ongoing legislative sessions.