Chicago taxpayers on the hook for extra $2 billion under Lightfoot plan

By Ben Szalinski

11/21/2020

Lightfoot’s budget depends on borrowing and property tax hikes.

TAGS: borrowing, Chicago, debt, Lori Lightfoot, property taxes

Many Illinois municipalities will vote on property taxes Nov. 3

By Joe Tabor

10/30/2020

Property taxes are on the ballot in Madison, Winnebago and Champaign counties.

TAGS: ballot referendums, Election Day, property taxes

‘Fair tax’ is no fix for out-of-control Cook County property taxes

By Joe Barnas

10/28/2020

Cook County property taxes have grown at triple the rate of the cost of living. The “fair tax” backers promise it will bring property tax relief, but the evidence refutes their claim.

TAGS: Cook County, fair tax, JB Pritzker, property taxes

‘Fair tax’ ads falsely promise property tax relief that income tax hikes can’t deliver

By Adam Schuster

10/23/2020

Every state without an income tax has lower property taxes than Illinois. The progressive tax amendment includes no property tax reforms, so there’s no guarantee property taxes won’t rise as income taxes rise.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, property taxes, Vote Yes for Fairness

Lightfoot budget includes automatic property tax hikes, gas tax hike

By Adam Schuster

10/22/2020

A typical Chicago homeowner faces up to $255 in potential property tax increases to cover city and school deficits. City income taxes could be next, if the ‘fair tax’ were to pass.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, property taxes

What Illinoisans need to know about the progressive income tax

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

08/27/2020

Gov. J.B. Pritzker calls his $3.7 billion income tax hike a “fair tax.” But opponents have criticized the constitutional amendment as a blank check for House Speaker Mike Madigan and other state lawmakers, courtesy of Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: fair tax, graduated income tax, Illinois Constitution, income tax, JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax, property taxes, taxes

Federal investigators digging deeper into Pritzker’s $331K property tax break

By Ben Szalinski

07/17/2020

Pritzker infamously removed toilets from his Gold Coast mansion in what the Cook County inspector general called a “scheme to defraud” taxpayers.

TAGS: corruption, JB Pritzker, property taxes

Pritzker signs tax law deeming some of Chicago’s most valuable property ‘blighted’

By Ben Szalinski

07/06/2020

Chicago leaders have been unable to finish developing valuable land after 23 years and $331 million in taxes, but convinced state leaders more time and money were needed.

TAGS: Chicago, property taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

COVID-19 recession could double Illinois’ delinquent mortgage rate in 2020

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

06/16/2020

Up to 130,000 Illinois homeowners could fall behind on their mortgage payments if state lawmakers fail to provide relief.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, delinquency, mortgage, property taxes

Pritzker’s toilet removal contractor gets nearly $9M in COVID-19 work

By Ben Szalinski

05/28/2020

The contractor who removed toilets from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mansion in a $331,000 property tax scandal received a nearly $9 million COVID-19 contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The contractor hadn’t worked with the Corps in 76 years.

TAGS: federal investigation, JB Pritzker, property taxes, tax fraud