Dupage Policy Journal

Since he left the U.S. Air Force in 2014, Naperville City Council member Ian Holzhauer has completed the Chicago Marathon and run a 7 minute, five second mile.

That's twice as fast as is required for a U.S Marine, a time that ranks the 40 year-old among the top one percent of American males his age.

Pre-council meeting, he does interval training at Naperville's Orange Theory; Holzhauer told followers in December that he burned 916 calories in a single "high intensity" session.

Naperville City Council Member and Mayoral Candidate Benny White (L) and fellow City Council member Ian Holzhauer are both exempted from paying property taxes. | Twitter.com

Post-council meeting, he "clears his mind with a 5k and workout."

"Whether it’s working for you, my family, or my fitness, I never stop trying to improve," Holzhauer says.

Paired with his job as a full-time estate lawyer, his makes for a remarkable pace. That's especially given the fact that Holzhauer is "70 percent disabled," according to DuPage County Assessor records.

That means he doesn't have to pay any property taxes on his five-bedroom, four-bath on a cul-de-sac at 1202 Vermont Ct. in Naperville's Hobson West subdivision. He paid $390,000 for it in Dec. 2015; Zillow says the home is currently worth $552,700.

Like fellow Naperville City Council member Benny White, who he is backing in the current race for mayor, Holzhauer is taking advantage of a law that exempts Illinois veterans who are "70 to 100 percent disabled" as a result of their military service from paying property taxes.

The first term city council member didn't pay property taxes on his Vermont Ct. home in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 or 2022-- a savings of to Holzhauer of approximately $76,000. His neighbors in similarly-sized homes pay between $9,000 and $10,000 per year.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the University of Florida and Georgetown Law School graduate also receives a check from U.S. taxpayers for $2,117 per month as "disability compensation," tax-free.

The payment is to compensate veterans "who got sick or injured while serving in the military" or "whose service made and existing condition worse."

 “Uniformed attorney"

Holzhauer, now a partner at Nagle, Obarski & Holzhauer, a Naperville-based law firm, entered the Air Force in 2007 and served as a "uniformed attorney in its Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps” until 2014.

So-called "JAG Officers" don't participate in Basic Training and "perform most of their work at legal offices located at Air Force installations and deployed locations around the world," according to the Air Force.

Issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, service disability ratings are "based on the percent an injury or illness acquired as a result of service impacts the veteran’s lifetime earning capacity."

"This rating is given in ten percent increments, with 0% indicating a disability that does not impact earning capacity and 100% indicating a severe disability that renders the veteran totally unable to work," according to the VA.

Of U.S. military veterans aged 21-64, 1.33 million have a service disability rating between zero and 40 percent and 131,900 over 70 percent, versus 9.75 million who report no service disability.

The Americans with Disabilities National Network reports that only 25 percent of veterans with a "70 percent disabled" rating are able to maintain employment.

According to Veteran.com, most common injuries cited in disability claims are hearing damage and loss, which result in "10 percent maximum ratings," and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can result in a 70 percent rating.

Other common injuries are spinal issues (0-20 percent), migraines (0-30 percent), chemical exposures (100 percent), major depressive disorders (100 percent), anxiety (100 percent), asthma and diabetes.

Holzhauer's younger brother is James Holzhauer, who was the third highest-earning American game show contestant of all time, winning $2.5 million and 32 games in a row on Jeopardy! In 2019.

Both James and Ian graduated from Naperville North H.S.

Holzhauer was elected to the Naperville City Council in 2021; his term ends in 2025.