Daniels Proposes Property Tax Relief

By Susan Stevens Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted January 07, 2004


Tax relief may be in sight for suburban homeowners who are watching their home values skyrocket.

State Rep. Lee Daniels said Tuesday he plans to introduce legislation that would limit the increase in assessments to 7 percent a year.

The cap would apply to homes in Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, McHenry and Lake counties.

"A ton of people are extremely upset about the rise in their tax assessment," said Daniels, an Elmhurst Republican. "It doesn't say people are going to pay less taxes. It says we're going to provide some relief in the amount of the increase."

The move comes after suburban assessors reported large increases in home values. In DuPage County, some neighborhoods saw houses shoot up 30 percent in value, while Cook County homeowners have reported increases as high as 70 percent.

A tax cap already limits the amount many governments can levy, but rising assessments often mean higher tax bills anyway. Daniels said the 7 percent cap will ease that burden on homeowners, while providing a safety net in case the tax cap laws are weakened.

Daniels is not the first to push for limits on assessments.

Last October, Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan unveiled a similar plan that would cap annual assessment increases at 7 percent in Cook County.

Houlihan offered to extend the limit statewide, but the final version given to lawmakers dealt with Cook County.

After receiving initial support, the plan languished in the waning days of the fall session, and lawmakers adjourned for the year without a final vote on it.

Some suburban education groups opposed the plan, saying it was being pushed too fast and the potential tax impact on schools and other governments wasn't fully known.

Houlihan's plan could be resurrected in the spring session. Lawmakers return to the Capitol on Jan. 14.

• Daily Herald State Government Editor John Patterson contributed to this report.