A press release from State Rep. David McSweeney:
McSweeney Calls on Speaker Madigan to Release Property Tax Relief Bill
Springfield –On the same day a special House committee heard testimony on a pension cost shift proposal to local school districts, state Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) had his property tax relief bill blocked by the House Rules Committee. McSweeney’s amended bill, Senate Bill 1937, is a proposal for Illinois residents living within township governments to get a 2-year property tax levy freeze and it also provides tax relief for seniors living with people with disabilities.
Dave McSweeney
“We are here discussing a pension cost shift today, which will result in yet another property tax increase,” said McSweeney.
“Residents have had enough.
“Property taxes are through the roof at a time when home values and the market haven’t recovered.
“My bill would provide tax relief now and the bill deserves a fair shake.”
Earlier this week, McSweeney filed the amendment to Senate Bill 1937 which specifically calls for enacting the 2-year property tax freeze.
The House Rules Committee has not released the amended bill to the House Revenue Committee.
The Rules Committee is the place in which legislation can be killed or advanced by the Democratic House leaders.
“If my bill is released from Rules and doesn’t pass the House, so be it. That’s the democratic process,” added McSweeney.
“But, I have garnered significant support from both sides of the aisle on this bill and I respectfully ask the Speaker to reconsider this bill.
“I’m confident that I have the necessary votes to pass the bill in Revenue Committee and on the floor”
If released from Rules and then ultimately enacted, Senate Bill 1937 would take effect immediately and would impose a 2-year Township property tax levy freeze, covering tax billing years 2014-2015 for township governments only.
This is not McSweeney’s first attempt at property tax relief this session.
As one of his first actions in office, McSweeney proposed House Bill 95 which would freeze all property tax levies for three years. He was also lead co-sponsor and supported Representative Jack Franks’ House Bill 89, which would freeze all property tax levies when home values fall.
[Franks’ bill tanked.]
= = = = =
For more information about township taxes in McHenry County, click here.
Until the House Rules Committee is reformed we don’t live in a Democracy.
So Cal, you supported David McSweeney so he could hijack another legislator’s senior citizen assistance bill, try to steal the credit for it, and piggy-back his own Tea Party hack amendment on it..?
Which bill was hijacked from which legislator?
The seniors and everyone else are going to see more tax hikes because the politicians favorite games of kick the can and hide and seek can only be played so long.
And as long as the politicians continue to play those games to the extent possible, the younger you are, the bigger the problem.
Someday the younger generation is going to be really, really angry.
How would you like to an employee in one of the state pension plans (teachers, administrators, state workers, university professors, state lawmaker, judge) who’s employment became effective Jan 1, 2011 or later?
Such newer employees are contributing the same amount to the pension plan as employees previously hired, but have to work a longer career to become eligible for drastically reduced benefits.
Back to the looming tax hikes.
What will cause the tax hikes?
Unfunded pension liabilities thanks to politicians not increasing taxes at the time they passed pension hiking legislation in 38 of 40 years from 1971 – 2011.
Proper funding not allocated to retiree healthcare the above named special interest groups receive; once again; the politicians didn’t properly increase taxes to fund the retiree healthcare hiking legislation that was passed.
Bond debt service (bond principal and interest that must be repaid).
One of the bond games is to issue ladder bonds whereas each years repayment of principal and interest becomes larger and larger, and after 5 years or so, the bonds are refinanced and the maturity extended.
So there’s your three big tax buckets.
The first two for special interest groups.
And taxpayers not in those special interest groups?
You get to fund benefit levels most of you will never receive.
Those generous Illinois taxpayers.
And why wasn’t proper funding allocated at the time the benefits were increased?
Because the taxpayers would have screamed like stuck pigs.
So instead the politicians played kick the can and hide and seek.
And in the meantime anyone who points out the above is called a Tea Party hack.
I’m still wondering why any one group of workers, public or private, deserves a better (or worse) public retirement system?
ALL Americans (including politicians) should pay into one public retirement system.
If you want more you are on your own.
Oh I get it McSweeney as the primary House Sponsors of SB 1937 filed House Committee Amendment No. 1 on May 8th.
Christine Radogno as the primary Senate sponsor filed the bill Feb 15th.
They’re both suburban Republicans hopefully they can work out any differences.
And the reason for different public retirement systems is special interest campaign contributions and votes in exchange for favorable legislation.
One retirement would solve a lot of the problems resulting from the above scenario.
Well Mark, thanks to David McSweeney, the senior citizen assistance bill he hijacked is dead for this session.
I’m sure the seniors in McHenry County will be very grateful to David McSweeney for this, and show him their gratitude next November.
One positive that came out of this is that McSweeney has made himself a laughingstock in Springfield, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to find someone with a brain to run against this spoiled Tea Party millionaire hack…
Cal,
Why don’t you consider eliminating your reader comments?
Your Blog is a great asset and very informative to the general public.
You have come along way and your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Thank you.