State Representative Jeff Keicher said on May 5 that Illinois needs to provide property tax relief as lawmakers continue discussions about legislation for megaprojects, including a possible Chicago Bears Stadium in Arlington Heights. Keicher was joined by State Representatives Dan Ugaste, Jennifer Sanalitro, and Nicole La Ha at a press conference where they outlined the House Republicans’ agenda for property tax reform.
The topic is important because high property taxes affect whether families can afford homes, seniors can stay in their houses, and small businesses remain open. “Crushing property taxes are driving families, small businesses, and opportunities out of Illinois,” said Keicher. “The reality is, property taxes don’t just show up on a bill – they shape major life decisions. Whether a young family can afford a first home, a senior can stay in the home they’ve owned for decades, or a small business can stay afloat, all are directly affected by the high cost of property taxes. Sadly, too many people feel they have little or no say in the process, and that has to change.”
Keicher and other House Republicans proposed several bills aimed at reforming the state’s property tax system instead of focusing only on incentives for large corporations. Their agenda includes HB 9 (Ugaste), which would create the Fixed Pension Property Tax Relief Plan with an estimated $3.5 billion in state relief for homeowners in 2026; HB 5611 and HB 5612 (Weaver), which would reinvest funds from paid bonds; HB 2543 (Sosnowski), requiring taxing bodies to seek voter approval; HB 1024 (Cabello), mandating sunsets for tax referenda; and HB 5550 (Fritts), increasing notice requirements for tax increases.
In addition to these measures, Keicher supports changes to Tax Increment Financing districts through HB 1142—requiring referendums before TIF districts are approved—and HB 1222—limiting TIFs to no more than 35 years.
“None of the ideas we are offering are radical; they are rooted in the basic principle that we must respect and protect taxpayers,” said Keicher. “We can once again make our state the place where families and businesses flock to, where they know they can have an affordable and prosperous future. We have all the resources. Now we have to act.”
Keicher was elected as a Republican representative of Illinois’ 70th House District in 2018 after replacing Robert W. Pritchard according to Ballotpedia.
