Governor Pritzker recently suggested that local governments and school boards are responsible for Illinois’ high property taxes. However, that explanation overlooks the significant role the ruling parties’ policies in Springfield have played in the rise of property taxes.

Local school funding continues to be the largest portion of your property tax bill. The state both underfunds local school districts and then passes mandates on those school districts, without providing the funds to cover the cost of those mandates. The state has one pot of money for school funding, and when they adjust the formula to disproportionately divert more dollars to Chicago, it reduces funds for all other school districts, forcing them to rely more on property taxes.

Second, under Illinois sales tax laws, a portion of all sales taxes paid locally is supposed to be returned to that local government. Illinois is returning less than 70% of what was promised, putting more pressure on local governments.

Third, recent budget decisions by the Governor have only made the problem worse. The Governor’s budget excluded $43 million in property tax relief that was in previous budgets.

State Senator Dave Syverson says these decisions shift more responsibility onto local communities putting local leaders unfairly in the hot seat.

Meanwhile, Senator Syverson continues to support fully funding sales taxes owed to local governments, making changes in school funding to more fairly distribute state dollars, and reduce costly mandates on local governments. For individual property taxpayers, support expanding homestead exemptions, increasing property tax credits, improving transparency, and providing long-term relief.

Senator Syverson said the state should not be balancing its budget on the backs of local property taxpayers.