DANVILLE — State Representative Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) issued the following statement in response to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s recent comments on property taxes following the release of a report from the Cook County Treasurer’s Office titled “How State Laws Failed to Stop Decades of Skyrocketing Property Taxes.”
The report found that Cook County property taxes have increased faster than both inflation and wage growth over the past 30 years, rising 182% since 1995. It also identified loopholes in various state laws, including the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), that have allowed the tax burden to grow to unsustainable levels.
In response, Gov. Pritzker told reporters the issue lies with school districts, noting that more than half of property tax bills go toward local schools. He argued that districts have failed to reduce property taxes despite increased state funding. “You know what? School boards didn’t take the hint,” said Pritzker. “And so they’ve continued to ratchet up property taxes over and over again. And that has led to a continued very high property tax burden on homeowners across the state.”
Rep. Schweizer, an advocate for reducing the property tax burden, has co-sponsored and supported several measures aimed at lowering property taxes. These include raising the income threshold for the Senior Freeze, expanding property tax relief for disabled first responders, and eliminating the estate tax.
“While the Governor continues to shift blame to the local level for high property tax burdens, he overlooks how his own policies have contributed to the rising costs squeezing residents,” Schweizer said. “Regardless of where the blame lies, the reality is that homeowners are being saddled with an unsustainable tax burden that must be significantly reduced.”
Schweizer noted that property tax reform and relief measures have bipartisan and bicameral support, yet none of the bills he has backed have been called for a vote.
“When Springfield pushes costs onto local communities without providing real relief, local governments are forced to make difficult decisions,” Schweizer said. “Too often, those decisions result in higher taxes and fees to close the gap. Calling property taxes a ‘local issue’ simply shifts responsibility while Illinois families continue to pay the price. It’s time to move past the wordplay and deliver meaningful relief.”