SPRINGFIELD—In an effort to reduce property taxes in Illinois, State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) has filed six bills to provide necessary property tax relief for Illinois taxpayers and businesses.
Rep. Ugaste’s legislation will allow taxpayers to consolidate government entities that are too expensive and to ease the high property tax burden weighing on residents in his 65th community and statewide.
“The Democrat controlled Property Tax Relief Task Force failed to produce any solutions to help our taxpayers,” Ugaste said. “Our high property taxes are forcing too many families and businesses to leave, and residents are fed up. The bills that I have filed are a step forward to provide the real relief the task force failed to do.”
Rep. Ugaste’s 2020 agenda includes the following bills:
- HB4493: Requires elementary and high school districts to form new unit districts together, instead of having separate school districts for each.
- HB 4494: Limits local units of government and their ability to continue bonds.
- HB4495: For redevelopment projects, “blighted areas” must have a household median income of 100% or less of the area median income, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- HB4496: Allows voters to consolidate townships if other units of government can operate more efficiently.
- HB4498: Limits tax increment financing (TIF) to 15 years.
- HB4762: Prohibits taxing districts from holding more than 150% of the previous levy year’s property tax collections and requires excess amounts to be refunded to taxpayers.
A full list of his bills for the 101st General Assembly (2019-2020) can be found at: http://ilga.gov/house/RepBills.asp?MemberID=2753
