NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM BILL

Legislative leaders and Assessor Kaegi meet with unions and industry interest groups on language in SB 1379

NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM BILL

Legislative leaders and Assessor Kaegi meet with unions and industry interest groups on language in SB 1379

House Assistant Majority Leader Will Davis, Revenue Committee Chairman Mike Zalewski, and Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi met Tuesday afternoon with representatives of labor unions and industry interest groups to clarify language in a significant legislative property tax reform effort. The meeting was part of a process to move toward successful passage of SB 1379, the Data Modernization Bill.

SB

1379 would give the Cook County Assessor’s Office the ability to collect operating income and expense data for income-generating, commercial properties. Collecting income and expense data up front — on an anonymized and bulk basis—would bring Cook County (and other counties in Illinois who choose to opt-in to this practice) in line with professional practices used by Assessors in at least 17 other states.

In the meeting today were Revenue Committee Chairman Mike Zalewski and Illinois House Assistant Majority Leaders Davis, Rep. Fred Crespo and Rep. Kelly Burke, all sponsors of SB 1379. In addition, supporters of SB 1379 who participated in the discussion included Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, and a representative of Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot.

After

passing the Illinois Senate in a bi-partisan, supermajority vote, SB 1379 was scheduled for a vote last week in the House Revenue Committee, but was pulled at the last minute after all parties agreed to clarify some language in the bill.

“I am pleased this structured process, led by House legislative leaders, continued today,” said Assessor Kaegi. “These months-long negotiations should ensure passage of property tax reform by May 31. The data collection authorized by SB 1379 is necessary to achieve more accurate, fair and predictable assessments that Cook County taxpayers and homeowners deserve.”

Last

week, SB 1379 picked up additional union support as well as endorsements from Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) and U.S. Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. Teamsters Joint Council 25, SEIU Healthcare Illinois, Unite Here, ATU Local 38 and the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters all publicly announced their support for the bill. MPC said SB 1379 would provide “a fairer system” while Rep. Garcia said it would “modernize the property assessment system.”

These recent endorsements of the bill solidify the support for this common sense legislation. Previously announced supporters of SB 1379 include Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot, Brookfield Properties’ Retail Group (owner of Water Tower Place), International Council of Shopping Centers and BMO Harris Bank, Community Renewal Society; Chicago Rehab Network; Latin United Community Housing Association, AFSCME 31, UFCW Local 881, Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU Local 73 as well as county and township assessors across the state and the South Suburban Mayors & Managers Association.

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