State Sen. Sue Rezin is asking Illinois lawmakers to make freezing property taxes a top priority for families and businesses.
“No matter what community I visit in the 38th Senate District, a common concern of families and businesses is, ‘our property tax rates just keep going higher and higher, and it’s really hurting us,’” Rezin said. “Freezing property tax rates will go a long way in boosting our economy, while helping working families with some much-needed relief for their own budgets.”
Rezin says any action could include an exemption for communities where local voters approve a referendum.
According to a recent study from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the country, only behind New Jersey. Illinois was found to have 17 counties ranked in the top 100 counties nationally for median property tax rates, including several local counties in Sen. Rezin’s 38th Senate District:
– Kendall County: median effective property tax rate of 2.53% (16th nationally)
– Will County: median effective property tax rate of 2.31% (33rd nationally)
– LaSalle County: media effective property tax rate of 2.23% (41st nationally)
Source: Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
“When a family has to pay so much of their hard-earned money in property taxes – among the highest anywhere in the country – it’s no wonder people have lost faith in Illinois,” Rezin said. “But there’s a solution. Freezing property tax rates, reforming state government, and passing responsibly balanced budgets all go hand in hand toward creating an environment in which our families can thrive.”
Rezin says all too often, neighboring states are attracting companies and residents, when it should be Illinois where people want to move and start a business. She points to the lower property taxes in those states as one of the reasons.
· The average homeowner in Illinois had a property tax bill of $4,469 in 2012
(Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center)
o 26% higher than Wisconsin ($3,530)
o 86% higher than Iowa ($2,398)
o 90% higher than Michigan ($2,347)
o 1.5 times higher than Missouri ($1,767)
o 2.3 times higher than Kentucky ($1,339)
o 2.7 times higher than Indiana ($1,200)
· Illinois’ property tax rate, and Illinois’ property tax bills, are both higher than all of our neighboring states. (Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center)
o Illinois rate: 2.28%
o Wisconsin rate: 2.07%
o Michigan rate: 2.06%
o Iowa rate: 1.60%
o Missouri rate: 1.19%
o Indiana rate: 0.93%
o Kentucky rate: 0.92%
“Putting a cap on any tax gives companies some assurance and some certainty that Illinois is serious about keeping and recruiting business here,” said John Greuling, President and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development.
“Illinois can, and should, do better,” Rezin said. “I am hopeful the Legislature can follow the lead of Gov. Bruce Rauner by making this issue a top priority and bring some relief to all Illinoisans, especially those in my district.”
In a recent teleforum, Sen. Rezin asked a poll question regarding property taxes. Answering that question, 71% of participants support a property tax freeze. Of that, 36% said to freeze property taxes statewide and 35% said to freeze property taxes unless voters approve an increase.