Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The argument is not going away: rising property taxes are chasing people out of the state.

“Illinois has the highest property taxes in the nation, with homeowners paying roughly double the national average,” State Rep. Nicole La Ha (R-Homer Glen) told a news conference at the Capitol. “When that reality combines with sharp increases and shifting burdens, that impact becomes unsustainable for many of us.”

“What does property tax reform and relief look like in Illinois?” asked State Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva). “Well, the governor’s initial remarks seem to place it onto local taxing districts and saying, well, they set the prices, so they’re the problem. While that may be accurate, we have the control. Local governments cannot do anything more than what we as a state allow them to do.”

Ugaste says seeing as how the House-passed “mega project” bill includes language for property tax relief, perhaps Gov. JB Pritzker and statehouse Democrats are finally getting the message.

The news conference discussed several measures related to property taxes.

HB 9, HB 5611, HB 5612, HB 2543, HB 1024, HB 5550