Dupage Policy Journal

Republican candidate for Illinois House District 46 Heidi Holan hosted a property tax forum last month, featuring Illinois Policy Institute Vice President Ted Dabrowski and Bloomingdale Township Assessor John Dabrowski (no relation).

This was the third event hosted by Holan. Basing her campaign on fiscal responsibility and transparency in government, Holan has been reaching out to the residents of District 46 with informational forums to assist with taxes and other issues.

"Voters can only be informed if they have information," Holan told the DuPage Policy Journal. "Prior to my current candidacy, I felt a strong need to provide my fellow District 46 residents with the hard facts about Illinois’ financial situation and the reforms being proposed by Gov. (Bruce) Rauner. Because I wanted to offer more than 12-second sound-bites, I hosted my first policy forum — which was extremely well received. The overwhelmingly positive response and standing-room-only crowd affirmed the local demand. Area residents asked questions and discussed possible actions. There was no doubt that voters in my district were — and are — seeking solutions."

Among the surprising facts shared with the audience was how property taxes are affected by compensation packages for educators and administrators. The school board's vote can result in higher taxes for residents. In addition, property taxes can be higher in certain neighborhoods despite having lower property values than surrounding areas.

"Going door to door as a candidate in my district, I find that voters are overwhelming concerned about their skyrocketing property tax bills," Holan said. "It became obvious that there was a vital need to address this issue. Therefore, I began hosting forums specifically addressing property taxes. I will continue to help my neighbors to understand why our property taxes are so high. More importantly, I will help them learn what steps we need to take to change the situation and start down the road to relief from this back-breaking tax burden."

As Ted Dabrowski and John Dabrowski explained to the packed audience, while high property taxes are a burden on the average homeowner, there are exemptions and tax deferments that can provide some relief to the taxpayer. These exemptions include the homestead, veterans with disabilities and Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (SCAFHE). To qualify for special exemptions, the homeowner must fit within specific guidelines. A senior applying for the "freeze" must be 65 or older, have less than $55,000 in household income and meet other guidelines. The form must be filed every year with the county assessment office.

Attendees expressed their satisfaction with the clear explanations and tax relief solutions provided by the panelists after the forum. The forums hosted by Holan have proven to be popular events in the communities of the 46th District.

After the latest forum, Holan told the Journal, "Unfortunately, Illinois residents are bearing the financial consequences of bad government policy decisions. In my community, there is an obvious thirst for facts and for strategies enabling residents to take back control of the ever-increasing spending by our elected officials. Because of my personal values and understanding of finance and economics, I am driven to answer this need. That’s why I am challenging the status quo — because I know that by working together we can do better for Illinois."