Illinoisans pay the second highest property taxes in the nation, yet the Property Tax Relief Task Force draft report written by Democratic lawmakers wants to increase the sales tax without promising to reduce the property tax burden. Revenue derived from a sales tax expansion would be in addition to tax increases Democrats already approved recently, and in addition to increases built into their Graduated Income Tax Constitutional Amendment question. More money appears to be their only answer.
Even though Republicans sought the inclusion of more than 20 fact-supported solutions to lower property taxes through local pension reform, mandate relief, increased transparency, consolidation and resource sharing among local governments to drive down costs, they were summarily dismissed by Democrats in their Property Tax Relief Task Force report.
The need for meaningful, substantive property tax relief in Illinois is critical.