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Plan to curb rising property taxes fails

SPRINGFIELD — A plan to keep local taxes from going up when property values go down failed to win favor from Illinois lawmakers Friday.

A proposal from state Rep. Jack Franks would have prohibited local governments like school districts from collecting more property taxes in a year when overall property values in the area have sunk.

The Marengo Democrat argued it’s only fair for the government to work with less money when local residents are seeing their houses lose value.

The Illinois House rejected his plan, though, by a 43-65 vote.

The proposal was strongly opposed by local government groups like the Illinois Municipal League.

And lawmakers raised concerns that local governments’ costs go up via increasing salary and pension costs no matter what’s going on with the economy, so limiting their ability to raise taxes could cause difficulties or deficits.

Franks’ plan wouldn’t have lowered how much a government could collect via property taxes. But if home values were down, taxes couldn’t go up.

“They simply wouldn’t automatically get increases when property values decline,” he said.

How they voted

How suburban lawmakers voted on legislation that would ban property tax hikes if real-estate values sink.

Yes

Deborah Conroy, Elmhurst Democrat; Fred Crespo, Hoffman Estates Democrat; Jim Durkin, Western Springs Republican; Keith Farnham, Elgin Democrat; Jack Franks, Marengo Democrat; David Harris, Arlington Heights Republican; Kay Hatcher, Yorkville Republican; Stephanie Kifowit, Aurora Democrat; David McSweeney, Barrington Hills Republican; Tom Morrison, Palatine Republican; Michelle Mussman, Schaumburg Democrat; Dennis Reboletti, Elmhurst Republican; Ron Sandack, Downers Grove Republican; Carol Sente, Vernon Hills Democrat; Timothy Schmitz, Batavia Republican; Ed Sullivan, Mundelein Republican; Michael Tryon, Crystal Lake Republican; Barbara Wheeler, Crystal Lake Republican; Kathleen Willis, Addison Democrat; Sam Yingling, Round Lake Beach Democrat

No

Linda Chapa LaVia, Aurora Democrat; Scott Drury, Highwood Democrat; Jeanne Ives, Wheaton Republican; Rita Mayfield, Waukegan Democrat; Michael McAuliffe, a Chicago Republican; Elaine Nekritz, Northbrook Democrat; JoAnn Osmond, Antioch Republican; Sandra Pihos, Glen Ellyn Republican; Darlene Senger, Naperville Republican;

Present

Tom Cross, Oswego Republican;

Didn’t vote

Patti Bellock, Hinsdale Republican; Mike Fortner, West Chicago Republican;

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