Springfield, IL…With property tax installment deadlines looming across the 95th district, State Representative Mike Coffey (R-Springfield) is calling out Supermajority democrats running Springfield for recent tax shifts, tax hikes, and mandates expected to drive property taxes even higher across Illinois communities.
“Hard-working families in Illinois deserve property tax relief but the Supermajority party is driving up costs with their approach to policymaking,” said Rep. Coffey. “Rising property taxes drive families to other states to save money and I think we need to take a hard look into how we can lower property taxes and still maintain general revenue for state projects.”
According to a Wallet Hub study released in February 2024, Illinois has the second-highest property tax burden in the country. Illinois has a statewide 2.23% property tax rate burden when all 102 counties are combined.
The facts are clear, Illinoisans have one of the highest overall tax burdens – largely due to out-of-control property tax rates. Yet, as families struggle to make ends meet, the majority party has done nothing to address high property taxes. Instead, they focus on adding social programs to our General Revenue liabilities while failing to properly fund education and local governments as promised in the 1970 Illinois constitution.
Numerous proposals supported by Rep.Coffey would freeze, suspend, or outright reduce property taxes, various sales taxes, income taxes, and fuel taxes throughout this General Assembly. Democrats have refused to call these tax relief proposals for a vote, instead opting to raise nearly $1 billion in tax hikes in the new State Budget and to shift the burden of tax hikes onto local governments at the end of the Spring Session.
Included in the tax relief measures supported by Rep. Coffey are:
HB1274: Increases the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption from $5,000 to $8,000
HB3538: No longer requires disabled veterans to submit an annual application for the homestead exemption.
HB4716: Limits any change in assessment resulting from reassessment in the general assessment year to the lesser of the following: 3% of the assessed value of the property or change in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year.
HB4354: Caps the increase in a total homeowners year to year property tax bill to no more than 5% unless the home had substantial improvements.
Coffey continued: “To move our state in the right direction, we must have fiscal responsibility, public policies that benefit residents, and lower taxes for individuals, families, and employers. The over-taxation on residents and businesses to fund state programs hurts possible economic growth for the 95th District and the State of Illinois.”
The people of Illinois need property tax relief now, not tomorrow. They demand property tax relief today. They are not getting relief from Supermajority Democrats, who recently broke their own House Rules to hike taxes on Illinoisans, once again.
For more information contact Rep. Coffey’s office at 217-782-0053 or coffey@ilhousegop.org.
Representative Mike Coffey serves the constituents of Illinois’ 95th House District that includes parts of Sangamon County, including portions of the City of Springfield and Villages of Chatham and Rochester as well as parts of Macon and Christian Counties.
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