Dupage Policy Journal

Both candidates for House District 47 have come out in opposition to a proposed statewide tax levy by the Chicago Civic Federation and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

The levy would be a special property assessment estimated at about 1 percent of actual property value each year for the next three decades. That special property assessment would be in addition to current property taxes in Illinois.

Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst). Mazzochi, the chair of the College of Board of Trustees, was appointed to the House District 47 seat in July after Patricia R. "Patti" Bellock left office.

Mazzochi has been vocal about her opposition to raising property taxes and voted against raising the property tax levy as chairman of the College of DuPage.

"Illinois and the 47th District are property taxed out," Mazzochi recently said on Facebook. "We need fiscally responsible Representatives in Springfield. In my time as Chairman of the College of DuPage, we have not increased the property tax levy even one time."

Jim Caffrey, a Democrat running for the 47th District state House seat, said the proposal to dramatically raise property taxes in Illinois is no way to deal with the state pension crisis. 

"I don't support this proposal to raise property taxes to pay for pensions," Caffrey of Elmhurst told the DuPage Policy Journal.

The 47th district is located within Cook and DuPage counties and includes all or parts of Elmhurst, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Western Springs, Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Westmont and Downers Grove.