House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) must not live in the same Illinois as everyone else, state Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) suggested in a recent interview with the DuPage Policy Journal.
“I’ve long thought Madigan was out of touch with ordinary residents and his statement proves my point,” Ives said.
Ives was referring to a recent WGN-AM interview in which Madigan said he's against statewide property tax relief except in targeted ways, which Ives suggested means helping those close to him.
Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton)
"So, it's easy to say, 'Let's freeze the taxes across the board,'" Madigan said. “It’s better to say, ‘Let’s give some targeted real estate tax relief to people that really need it without hurting school districts like Chicago.'"
Madigan and Gov. Bruce Rauner have been locked in a bitter stalemate over the last two years that has left the state without a balanced budget and with debts estimated as high as $13 billion.
The Legislature did not reach a budget agreement before May 31 and had to be called into a special session to consider a “grand bargain” proposal sponsored by Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont).
Across DuPage County, even as home property values steadily decline, property taxes remain on the rise, heavily impacted by increased government spending and massive municipal debts, according to Local Government Information Services.
“The solution is a flat tax that caps property taxes so people know what they have to pay and know when property values go down their taxes will to,” Ives said.
Ives said the mess that Illinois has made for itself comes from unregulated spending and taxes that just keep going up. She sees only one solution, she said.
“Republicans will have to win more seats to change things,” Ives said. "That’s the only way to move Illinois in the right direction of not taxing people out of homes and businesses out of state.”
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