In this issue:
- Legislative inaction could lead to even higher property taxes for some Illinoisans
- Madigan files motion to delay prison deadline
- Great to see everyone at our shred truck event in Streator
- Illinois headlines
Legislative inaction could lead to even higher property taxes for some Illinoisans
I have long been a proponent of property tax reform in Illinois. Yet even though Illinois already has some of the highest property taxes in the country, we have seen little to no action by the General Assembly to provide any relief. Now a complex chain of circumstances could lead to even higher property taxes levied by Illinois counties.
The origin lies in the way the law handles a property tax bill which remains unpaid for several years. Under the law, the delinquent owner is sent warnings in the mail and if the bill remains unpaid the property is subjected to a property tax sale. A third party can come in and bid for a tax deed to the property. After further complex procedures, the tax deed can be transformed into a real deed and the previous owner can be evicted.
The entire amount that a tax purchaser bids in a property tax sale for a tax deed is kept by the county collector. It is this feature of Illinois law that was struck down, in May 2023, by the U.S. Supreme Court in a case dealing with a similar law in Minnesota. The decision instructed local governments to retain only that portion of the tax-sale money that represented the actual tax debt, plus reasonable penalties and interest, and stated they must return any surplus to the original owner of the property.
Minnesota, and all the other states with the tax-sale laws scrutinized by the Court revised their laws in accordance with the decision, with the exception of Illinois. Bills to revise Illinois’ law to put us into conformity with the ruling have been assigned to the House Revenue and Finance Committee, but none have become law. Although the decision was published more than two years ago, the General Assembly has yet to act on the matter.
This inaction has placed local governments and taxpayers at risk because counties could be vulnerable to lawsuits. These lawsuits against Illinois counties are starting to pile up. Current law does not allow counties to adjust their property tax sale procedures to obey the ruling but does allow them to charge higher property taxes when a county loses one of these lawsuits or is forced to accept an unfavorable litigation settlement. Thus, the failure of the General Assembly to change the Property Tax Code could soon lead to even higher property taxes in affected counties.
Madigan files motion to delay prison deadline
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who was convicted in federal court earlier this year on ten corruption charges, has filed a motion to delay his reporting date to begin serving his prison sentence. A federal judge sentenced Madigan to 7.5 years behind bars for his role in a corruption scheme which involved the utility giant Commonwealth Edison offering jobs to Madigan cronies in exchange for Madigan passing favorable legislation for the company.
Madigan first asked for a delay in the deadline for him to report to prison back in the summer, but the request was denied by the judge. This latest motion was filed with a federal appeals court. He is asking for a delay pending the appeal of his corruption convictions.
Until 2021 Madigan was the most powerful politician in Illinois. He was Speaker of the House for 35 years, as well as state Democratic Party chairman and a Chicago ward boss. He amassed enormous power, controlling the fate of legislation, jobs and candidates for office at all levels and in all branches. He used that power to block reforms to the state’s ethics laws, redistricting process and the property tax system, just to name a few. Sadly, even though Madigan is gone from Springfield, those needed reforms are still being blocked.
Great to see everyone at our shred truck event in Streator
Thank you to everyone who came out to our Shred Event this weekend in Streator. It was great to see so many people take advantage of the opportunity to shred their old confidential documents. Thanks also to our vendor, C.O.P.S., for bringing the truck.
As we talked with people who stopped by, we heard about different issues in state government. One of the most common topics of conversation was the Safe-T Act. We truly appreciated the opportunity to hear your thoughts, answer your questions, and engage in meaningful discussion.
Community events like this are such an important part of staying connected and informed. We’re grateful for your participation and look forward to seeing you at the next one!
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $2,633,845,464. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $2.1 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
Illinois headlines
Illinois State Board of Education lowers academic standards
Empowering parents and families
Illinois prisons adopt emergency mail-scanning rules to curb contraband