Mike Rein views townships’ opposition to a proposed two-year tax freeze for some counties as an example what's wrong with local government.
"They are misguided and wrong," Rein, alderman for Quincy’s Ward 5, told the West Central Reporter. "Typical of government."
He said voters should take note of this issue because “[g]overnment is out-of-control taxing and spending. We now have a government we cannot afford. Time to shut it down.”
In its current, House-amended form, Senate Bill 851 would establish a two-year property tax freeze for Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage and Will counties. The measure would allow those counties to increase property taxes only with voter approval.
All other counties would be subject to referendums asking whether a property tax freeze should be imposed for 2018 and 2019 or that all governments within a county jurisdiction be subject to a property tax freeze over that period and to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for levy year 2020 and beyond, according to a legislative alert.
Bryan Smith, the executive director of the Township Officials of Illinois, recently sent the alert to township officials informing them of an upcoming House Revenue Committee hearing and preparing them for the possibility of a full House and Senate vote on the issue in the coming days.
Such taxes, Rein said, should be eliminated.
“Get rid of property taxes completely," he said. "Move to a fair tax immediately.”
Rein also acknowledged that townships, of which there are about 7,000 in the state, can be more accountable than state government.
“They are more accountable and frugal than the legislature,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rein has a message of his own about how such a freeze might impact local economies and why taxpayers need to be concerned about it.
It "[c]ontinues to increase the cost of government,” he said. “Increases the incentive to leave Illinois. More money for government and less for taxpayers.”
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