McHenry Times

Sandra Salgado said recently that House Speaker Mike Madigan’s disconnect with Illinois citizens would be funny if it weren't so costly.

“It’s almost a joke that he still believes the things that he says,” Salgado, the chairwoman of the McHenry County Republican Central Committee told the McHenry Times after Madigan argued that not everyone in Illinois needs a property tax freeze.

In a WGN interview, Madigan said he would much rather see property tax relief meted out on a targeted basis, although many on the GOP side believe those "targets" would mean his own constituents.

“It’s obvious that he’s out of touch,” Salgado said. “The reality is no matter what social-economic status you’re from, everybody is fed up with all the rising taxes. It’s why so many people are leaving the state.”

Since 1990, residential property taxes have grown 3.3 times faster than the state’s median household income, and the nonpartisan Tax Foundation projects that Illinois is on course to become the most taxed state in the nation.

“We’re hemorrhaging money, and all the unfunded mandates are what’s killing us,” Salgado said. “We need tough people to get in office to make tough decisions. Gov. Rauner’s turnaround agenda addressed so much of that.”

Meanwhile, the Illinois Policy Institute reported that virtually every Illinois county has seen steep upticks in its residents’ average property tax burden since 1999. Across the state, residential property taxes now account for roughly 6.4 percent of a typical household’s income, compared with 3.6 percent in 1990.

In McHenry County, property taxes account for an even greater portion of a family’s household income at 8 percent — a monthly average bill of almost $500 and a 45 percent increase since 2000.

The Senate passed two measures that would have frozen property taxes for two years. The Associated Press reported that Republicans, including Gov. Bruce Rauner, said the two-year freeze, which included exceptions for school districts that sought a waiver and local governments looking to pay down debt, wasn't enough. The measures didn't make it to a vote in the House before the end of the session.

Rep. Mark Batnick (R-Plainfield) sponsored a property tax freeze in the House that didn't get much traction.

“Hopefully, the people heard what Madigan had to say,” Salgado said. “We need to get folks in with thick skin that will stand up. We’re not sending people to Springfield to be friends.”