Lake County Gazette

Illinois House Republican lawmakers have introduced a legislative bill package aimed at providing property tax relief to residents across the state. Assistant Minority Leader Dan Ugaste (Geneva) and State Representatives Joe Sosnowski (Rockford) and Tom Weber (Fox Lake) highlighted the impact of high property taxes on Illinois residents and criticized the Democratic majority's inaction.

Illinois ranks among the states with the highest property taxes, leading to an exodus of residents seeking more favorable tax environments. The House Republican lawmakers are proposing several measures to address this issue:

- HB 0009 – Ugaste- Property Tax Relief

- HB 1321- Ugaste- Tax District Surplus

- HB 1746- Sosnowski- Homestead Exemption

- HB 2543- Sosnowski- Taxpayer Empowerment

- HB 3723- Sosnowski- Senior Exemption

- HB 3724- Sosnowski- General Homestead

- HB 4010- Weber- Property Tax Extensions

- HB 4011- Weber- Assessment Limit

Representative Dan Ugaste emphasized the need for property tax relief as a means to foster local community growth.

"High property taxes are crushing Illinois families," Rep. Ugaste said. "The situation is not getting any better, and the latest studies show we pay the second-highest property taxes in the nation. House Republicans have introduced a number of bills and have solutions that can provide property tax relief, and it's time for those proposals to be considered."

Governor JB Pritzker's recent budget proposal, which increases spending by $2 billion compared to the previous fiscal year, has been criticized for lacking meaningful reform to assist seniors, families, and businesses with their tax burdens.

Representative Weber pointed out that the current budget proposal underscores how disconnected the Democratic majority is from everyday Illinoisans.

"Years of reckless spending and unbalanced budgets have led the majority party to endlessly drive up property taxes with no end in sight," Rep. Weber said. "Our caucus is committed to alleviating this strain by improving existing exemptions, capping year-over-year tax increases, and returning surplus revenue back to taxpayers in our state."

Representative Joe Sosnowski's legislation aims specifically at helping seniors on fixed incomes along with other homeowners.

"Working families and homeowners need property tax relief, particularly seniors on fixed incomes," Rep. Sosnowski said. "We have filed legislation to deliver relief and help reverse the outmigration of people leaving Illinois because of the increasing tax burden."

The legislative package will continue its progression through the Illinois House, with updates available on ilga.gov.