Found this on Capitol Fax, which found it in the Daily Herald:
Jack Franks
Franks carried a property tax freeze proposal that Republicans decried as a stunt, but the Democrat says he agrees with the governor on the idea in general, and he had some advice for Rauner to advance his big first-year agenda.
“Do it incrementally. That’s what happens here in Springfield. I’d like to move things quicker, too,” Franks said.
“It doesn’t happen overnight, because some people just aren’t ready for it. So you have to chip away.”
The problem with Rep. Franks’ advice is that his proposal was not incremental.
Franks’ language would freeze property taxes forever.
Here’s how it ended up:
Provides that, beginning with the 2015 levy year, the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law [Tax Cap] applies to all taxing districts, including home rule units.
Provides that, beginning with the 2015 levy year, the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law is 0% or the rate of increase approved by the voters.
Preempts home rule. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately
Not terribly incremental.
You can see his bill’s House roll call here.
Local Republicans did not vote for it. One, David McSweeney, who was excused because a member of the family was in the hospital, told me he would have voted in favor of it.
Here’s Governor Bruce Rauner’s language:
Bruce Rauner
“Extension limitation”, for levy years prior to 2016, means (a) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters under Section 18-205.
“Extension limitation”, beginning in levy year 2016, means 0% or the rate of increase approved by the voters under Section 18-205.
Beginning with the 2016 levy year, “taxing district” means each unit of local government, school district, or community college district in the State with the power to levy taxes, including, but not limited to, home rule units and taxing districts that were not subject to this Law prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly.
Same concept as far as I can determine.
Franks knows fully well there are multi year collective bargaining contracts that have to be honored even if taxes are frozen, and pensions are underfunded in many taxing districts, and retiree healthcare is under funded in many taxing districts.
So what is Franks saying.
Freeze property taxes, the governments would be forced to cut some union workers or programs or whatever, or freeze future collective bargaining hikes, or the taxing districts would be required to go to referendum to obtain more revenue, or maybe a municipal bankruptcy law would be passed with Franks’ vote?
Makes no sense, once again, there’s an idea with no plan, if there is a plan, where’s the plan.
You know what would happen.
There would be a non-referendum bond spree.
Issue non-referendum bonds to the maximum allowable by law, such as working cash bonds, life-safety bonds, etc.
What else?
Tax anticipation warrants.
Issue tax anticipation warrants to the maximum allowable by law or that the market will accept.
Can we just put the whole lot of them in an insane asylum.
Maybe lock all of them in the Capitol building and padlock the door and declare it an insane asylum.
Mark you make some good points on the need to consider all the issues, but the fact is property taxes should be froze, no levy raise, no borrowing even short term without voter approval.
It’s time to take the power away from politicians.
To many politicians are all about YES, or are bought and paid for by lobbyist.
Time we the voters take control more of the tax $$$$ and budgeting over sight.
Ask us, don’t ass-ume we want to fork out more all the time.
If you were one of 40K ex Illinois residents living in Texas now, you woke up Sunday to a newspaper, summarizing $3.8 B package of school property tax relief and business tax cuts.
State Senator Perry R-Lubbock, in his victory dance speech said: “You put the money in the hands of the people, than they usually make decisions that determine what’s good”, adding “Texas economy is a pretty good indicator of that”.
Along with a bevy of other anti nanny, pro citizen laws passed, a Texan can now take his average $125 school tax relief savings to the bank, with his gun holstered to his hip.
Illinois Taxpayers get to endure a long summer fight, compromised to a $2.5 B Tax increase, with all the Pols declaring ‘victory’.
Texas might as well be called Taxes.
According to the TX state comptroller web site, there are 60 separate taxes that are collected in order to make up for the lack of income tax. My favorite is this:
http://comptroller.texas.gov/taxinfo/cig_tob/cigarette_fee.html (Cigarette/Roll Your Own Special Fee)
What Texas has that Illinois does not have is a booming population of young Mexicans.
That’s why Texas’ economy keeps growing.
CAl:
What’s your issue?
Permanently freezing property taxes, whether it is Rauner’s idea or Franks’, graduated and viable, or immediate and dead on arrival, is a great idea, good for the Taxpayers, if implemented.
Franks’ has a plan for bi-partisan implementation which has a chance.
Remember Cal. the people who drove you out are the same Combine stooges to whom Franks gave a bloody nose.
Check out the headline.
Jack Franks did what he is advises Bruce Rauner not to do.
Like David McSweeney, I would have voted for Franks’ bill.
Yea name less. That’s why State Farm formerly in Bloomington, spent $1.5 B and has just started relocating 8,000 workers into it’s still being completed mega headquarters. Just off the George Bush Tollway in Richardson, Tx.
They needed lots of landscapers to care for the 1000 acre campus. Right?
I am still trying to figure out why Cal thinks that a permanent property tax freeze is something to be opposed.
The real estate property tax is the single most unjust tax of all. It taxes value, not equity, and has nothing to do with the cost of governmental services.
The problem is Madigan and Cullerton are just scheming to make Rauner and the Republicans look bad.
Freezing property taxes in with a Democratic Supermajority in the General Assembly would results in all kinds of chaos if done in isolation.
They are scheming.
There would be cuts, people losing their homes because they lost their jobs, etc., all designed to punish the opposite party and get them voted out of office.
It’s one thing for them to advocate for what they believe, it’s another thing to drive the entire state into the ground obtaining their desired objectives.
Springfield is broke and broken.
Taxpayers should get to vote on tax hikes.
That’s not what is being proposed.
Introduce a bill allowing taxpayers to vote on all tax hikes.
Those moving to Texas or Oklahoma will be moving back because although they don’t want to admit it the weather is changing and the south is going to get the worst of it.
The Great Lakes region is predicted to have the safest weather.
Also why do property taxes have to pay for items like education.
Jefferson said the most unfair tax was property tax because even if you had your house paid you could still lose it for missing tax payments.
Make it a crime to use money specified for a project for anything else.
Karma
The South and Southwest are gaining Congressional Seats and the Great Lakes are losing seats.
People will not be moving back as long as the economic prospects are declining because of unfunded debt and negative business environment.
If present trends continue, it will be centuries before the average person can notice, and they will have adjusted.
Warm winters, air conditioning, and low taxes; Sounds like my retirement plan, and I will bring all my Deferred Comp investments with me.
Panama City Beach or Galveston?
Decisions, decisions, decisions………
Franks, the grand grandstander, loves to pull soft wool over the eyes of his infantilized constituency.
Franks, the benevolent fakir………. his fooling days are running out.