House Democrats Continue with Political Games; Block Real Tax Relief Bill from Consideration

After spending 2 ½ hours Friday on a political stunt aimed at embarrassing the Governor and making House Republicans look like they do not favor tax relief for their constituents, when presented with an opportunity to bring a comprehensive tax relief bill to the floor, House Democrats blocked it.

After a sham amendment sponsored solely by Democrats was discussed and voted upon, State Representative Ron Sandack (R-Downers Grove) attempted to have his HB136 released from the Rules Committee and brought to the floor for a discussion and vote. HB136 seeks to freeze tax rates in years of declining property values, and would utilize a three-year average assessment process for determining when the freeze would be lifted. Unlike the Democrats’ amendment, which would freeze all tax rates in all cases forever regardless of circumstance, the Sandack measure sought a realistic and fair solution for taxpayers.

“We spent most of this morning on yet another effort by House Democrats to divide, rather than unite the General Assembly,” said Sandack. “They put forward a weak partisan amendment that had not been thoroughly researched or vetted, and they did it with the sole purpose of creating division in the House of Representatives. My HB136 is a real bill that controls property tax extensions; it was carefully and thoughtfully drafted as a serious solution to a very real problem. Their decision to block my bill from being heard says a lot about their lack of sincerity with regard to providing tax relief.”

According to Sandack, HB136 was filed in January after a great deal of research into the issue of climbing tax rates during periods of declining property values. Upon being filed, it was promptly sent to a subcommittee, and never given a hearing. “Much of my legislative agenda since becoming a lawmaker has been focused on taxpayer protection initiatives, so to watch the majority party play political games with an issue as important as tax relief is incredibly disheartening.”