Will County Gazette

Reps. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) and Tim Ozinga (R-Mokena) held a press conference in Springfield today to address the issue of opportunity deserts and high property taxes in Illinois. The lawmakers proposed a plan aimed at providing relief to homeowners and property owners who are burdened by the impact of these challenges.

Opportunity deserts, which occur when high property taxes drive out businesses and hinder commercial growth, have created a vicious cycle that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations such as seniors, the unemployed, under-employed, the poor, and minorities. To illustrate the severity of the problem, two towns in Cook County were highlighted during the conference. Winnetka, with an average household income of $400,000 and a low percentage of Black or Latino residents, has a commercial property tax rate of 7.465 percent. Meanwhile, Harvey, with an average household income of $41,000 and a high percentage of Black or Latino residents, faces an assessed property tax rate nearly four times higher at 28.579 percent.

In an effort to address these disparities, Rep. Ozinga introduced House Bill 4866, co-sponsored by Rep. Ugaste. The legislation proposes the implementation of the Fixed Pension Payment Property Tax Relief Plan, which would allocate a certain percentage of each year's budget to pension costs and property tax relief. As pension costs decrease as a percentage of the overall budget in the coming years, a pool of resources would be created to lower property tax levies for school districts. In fact, some districts could potentially see a 50 percent reduction in their property tax levy once the plan is fully implemented.

Property tax relief is crucial for stimulating organic growth and providing opportunities for areas plagued by opportunity deserts. The Illinois House Republicans are eager to work with Democrats to implement these solutions and alleviate the burden on homeowners and property owners across the state.

During the press conference, Rep. Ugaste emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "Areas in southern Cook County and around the state have continued to suffer as the situation has worsened. We must act to help those of our citizens who are being crushed by these enormous property tax rates." Rep. Ozinga echoed this sentiment, declaring, "The time to ignore this issue has ended, and the problem is not going away. Lawmakers need to step up and provide real solutions to help our most vulnerable residents."

Former Rep. Mark Batinick, who also participated in the press conference, highlighted the economic challenges posed by high property tax rates. He explained, "The current system has created areas of the state where economic growth is nearly impossible. The high property tax rates make it economically unviable for companies to invest in areas even if they have terrific infrastructure. By working to dramatically lower property taxes, we can spur economic growth that can lead to an increase in jobs and a decrease in crime."

The proposed plan aims to address the property tax crisis in Illinois by providing relief to homeowners and property owners. By reducing property tax levies and stimulating economic growth, the hope is to combat opportunity deserts and provide a way out for areas that have been disproportionately affected.

For more information about Rep. Ozinga, visit RepOzinga.org, and for more information about Rep. Ugaste, visit RepUgaste.com.