Travis Weaver, state representative for the 93rd District, said Illinois needs property tax reform, alongside pension and unfunded mandate solutions, to improve affordability and address population loss.
“Illinoisans pay the highest effective property tax rates in the nation, and yet the system continues to fail them,” said Travis Robert Weaver, Illinois State Representative for 93rd District (R), according to Facebook. “If we want to make Illinois a more affordable place to call home, we need to tackle this major issue. Over the years, we’ve seen task force after task force on property taxes, but no action from the majority party. We need to come together to find real relief for Illinois families, or we will continue to see people leave the state.”
The issue of high property taxes has become a central concern for many residents. Weaver said that without addressing these costs, more people may choose to leave Illinois. “Illinoisans pay the highest effective property tax rates in the nation, and yet the system continues to fail them (…) If we want to make Illinois a more affordable place to call home, we need to tackle this major issue (…) Over the years, we’ve seen task force after task force on property taxes, but no action from the majority party (…) We need to come together to find real relief for Illinois families, or we will continue to see people leave the state,” according to Weaver’s Facebook post.
According to Tax Foundation data, Illinois has an effective property tax rate of 1.83%, which is the highest in the United States. This translates into an average annual bill of $4,584 for a median-priced home valued at $250,500. Neighboring states have significantly lower rates, adding economic pressure on Illinois homeowners.
Weaver posted on Facebook about these burdens and referenced a Chicago Tribune editorial outlining systemic flaws such as overreliance on local funding for schools and rising levies by districts. He called for collaborative solutions to prevent further population loss. <a href="https://civicfed.org/sites/default/files/2025-08/Cook%20County%20Property%20Tax%20Collection%20Rates%20FINAL%20%282%29.pdf’>Civic Federation reports show Cook County property tax collection rates have fallen for three consecutive years, with nearly $1 billion unpaid in 2023 and collection in Ford Heights at just 31.4%. This decline signals growing affordability issues and higher rates for remaining taxpayers.
The state’s financial challenges extend beyond property taxes. The Center on Tax and Budget Accountability reports that Illinois’ pension systems face $142 billion in unfunded liabilities as of fiscal year 2023, stemming from underfunding and increasing taxpayer contributions.
Weaver was elected as a Republican representative in 2023 after replacing Norine Hammond. He serves District 93 in Central Illinois and works as a business professor at Bradley University while residing in Peoria with his wife MacKinsey.
