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* Years ago, I read an article about espionage advice given to our World War II moles by the Office of Strategic Services (the predecessor to the CIA). One suggested tactic for American sympathizers was to create large corporate study committees, which would slow down or even halt progress on whatever it was they were studying. Whenever Speaker Madigan brings a large number of his members and staff with him to a meeting in the governor’s office, I remember that article and chuckle.
And that brings us to the new Property Tax Relief Task Force…
As voters start to consider whether to replace Illinois’ flat income tax with a progressive-rate model, lawmakers are starting their work to overhaul the state’s property tax system too.
The Property Tax Relief Task Force recently begin its work, setting up seven subcommittees that will tackle thorny topics like school and economic disparities, school funding, and tax-increment financing (TIF) districts. State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, is one of over 80 task force members.
There are actually 88 members of that task force. It has eight (8) co-chairs. And seven subcommittees? Oy.
The first organizational meeting was a cluster of enormous proportions. And members are not exactly getting along very well since then.
* From an August 29 press release…
State Representative Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) today called upon her fellow legislators to study and end systemic conflicts of interest in the Illinois property tax system. These conflicts generate disproportionate outcomes; increase costs; and often benefit politically connected insiders. All but a few Democrats voted no, and rejected her request. Those voting “no” included members who profit from the property tax system; another was recently subject to a federal indictment.
After the vote, Rep. Mazzochi released the following statement:
“Currently this task force has 90 members. It is absurd to suggest we can’t have a subcommittee to target conflicts of interest that both sides of the aisle know exist. Today’s vote demonstrates that members of the majority are insincere about real reform. If this task force wants to achieve meaningful reform, we must address the problem of high-level political insiders who game the system, whether at the state, county or local level. Illinois residents already pay among the highest property taxes in the nation. They don’t need an added corruption tax. The antics on display at the meeting are the exact reason why we do not have property tax relief today. Whose interests are they really looking out for?”
Illinois residents attending the meeting also expressed concerns during public comment about public corruption. James Di Naso of Charleston explained, “The first issue that needs to be addressed is the corruption and conflict of interest at the top of Illinois government. Only then can the property tax issue be honestly dealt within this state.”
Mazzochi’s motion would have charged the task force with specifically looking at existing areas of conflict of interest, and making reform recommendations to improve the integrity of the property tax process. Once Mazzochi’s motion was made and seconded, additional task force members not present for the first 45 minutes of the meeting were added to the roll and allowed to vote. When votes were tallied, Rep. Mazzochi’s motion failed 40-23, with two additional members voting “present.”
Notwithstanding the result of the vote, Mazzochi vowed that she would continue to advocate for added transparency and integrity within the entire property tax system.
DuPage County legislators voting yes in support of Mazzochi’s motion included Grant Wehrli, Amy Grant; Anne Stava-Murray, as well as Mazzochi. Voting no were Suzy Glowiak; Tom Cullerton; Tara Costa Howard; Karina Villa; and Diane Pappas. Deb Conroy, a member of the task force, was absent.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 9:59 am
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At present, this colossal mess really looks designed to fail. Doesn’t strike me as odd or unusual that conflicts would be examined. Having that many people absent at a meeting that you could apparently phone into, tells you how serious a large number of these people are about it. And the -Just call me if you need a vote, feature? - yeah, that’s very rich.
This task force only exists for people to say “I’m on the task force”. At nearly 90 people, it can’t work. How many of those 90 even understand the tax code?
What a mess.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:17 am
Property tax relief. Is anyone really dull enough to believe it is ever going to happen? Much ado about nothing.
Comment by Captain Obvious Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:25 am
The only way to secure meaningful property tax relief is to raise several billions more in the income tax and give it all to public education.
Nothing else moves the needle. We know it. They know it. School superintendents know it. Anyone with half a brain knows it.
And because no one has the guts to actually propose the state meet its Constitutional obligation to be the primary financier of public education. we get an 88 member task force instead.
TIA.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:32 am
–This task force only exists for people to say “I’m on the task force”. At nearly 90 people, it can’t work. How many of those 90 even understand the tax code? What a mess.–
Correct.
Comment by King Louis XVI Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:34 am
Best of luck to the property tax relief tax farce. I mean force, tax force. Sorry, task force. Good luck, tax farce. Dang, did it again…
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:38 am
If they aren’t willing to look at conflicts of interest, they are not serious.
Perhaps not a surprise, but still disappointing.
Comment by Ebenezer Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:39 am
I was told early in my career and observed it many times–”A committee can be dumber than any of it members”
Comment by Madame Defarge Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:45 am
= ”A committee can be dumber than any of it members” =
There’s a similar message on one of my favorite “demotivational” posters from despair.com: “Meetings - none of us is as dumb as all of us.”
Comment by cover Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 10:55 am
What 47th and Captain said, and adding if my memory serves Deanne M. Mazzochi has had an ax to grind with Mike Madigan for years.
So it comes as no surprise that this Property Tax Relief Force may be another ploy to get at Madigan through law firm’s main business which is property tax appeals.
If all but a few Democrats voted no and rejected her request, they may have realized the Property Tax Relief Task Force was not a serious attempt at property tax relief but a political tool for Mazzochi against Madigan.
Wasn’t Mazzochi involved in the whole College of Dupage Board political dustup/budget mess a few years ago? She seems to be every the behind the scenes lever puller that Madigan is. Two peas in a pod just on different sides of the aisle.
Comment by Big Jer Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:06 am
From where I sit in DuPage County, property tax reform looks like another way to have the collar counties subsidize the rest of the state. My high school property taxes fund an excellent school system. Will property tax reform make it easier to do this? I doubt it.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:07 am
“What we ought to do now, obviously, is to suspend all activity until we can hold a plebescite to select a panel that will appoint a commission authorized to hire a new team of experts to restudy the feasibility of compiling an index….” Part of a speech given by North Dakota Legislator I.E. Solberg, that captures the spirit and daring of Illinois latest futile attempt to figure out meaningful and long-lasting property tax reform.
Comment by revvedup Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:12 am
https://www.rmmslegal.com
The most vocal person, in committee against Will Guzzardi’s Prescription Drug Affordability Act, was Deanna Mazzochi. No conflict there? She literally started a law firm to protect pharmaceutical companies, is making giant money, and now sits in the General Assembly to kill bills that could hurt their profits?
Really?
Comment by Frank Talks Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:15 am
“I was told early in my career and observed it many times–”A committee can be dumber than any of it members”
In other words, Just a normal day in State government.
Comment by Hynes Guy Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:15 am
==“The first issue that needs to be addressed is the corruption and conflict of interest at the top of Illinois government. Only then can the property tax issue be honestly dealt within this state.”==
This seems like recipe for electoral disaster. After years of pointing at property tax reform as the main problem facing Illinois taxpayers, you want to block any type of property tax reform in order to first eliminate “corruption” and “conflict of interest”? As a strategy, it seems very….Rauner-ish.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:16 am
FT, went to the link. She’s a patent attorney. What she would protect are patents. Experience in that area might be more helpful to some of the drugs the GA wants to make available, i.e. epi-pens, narcan, etc.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:40 am
A “Camel” is a horse that was drawn by a committee.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:41 am
===What she would protect are patents==
A guy. Would not protecting patents directly or indirectly be protecting the profits of pharma companies by preventing generics?
Many articles have been written that one of the factors in the rise of inequality in the US is the stranglehold that many US corporations and individuals have on their patents and the US Patent Law in general. Also, the lengths they will go to protect their patents even years after most of the profits have been made.
There is a time for patenting something to protect your rights and profits but IMO there is also a time to stop being greedy and let as many people benefit as possible
Comment by Big Jer Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 11:54 am
If I remember correctly this task force was created because two Democratic legislators (Yingling & Didech) threatened to vote against the budget, capitol bill, and Progressive Tax amendment unless there was a discussion on property tax relief. Specifically, Rep. Didech passed SB39 which created the IL Property Tax Relief Fund. Subject to appropriation, the fund would give property tax rebates to homeowners that receive a Homestead Exemption. According to the US census Bureau there are 3,553,376 owner-occupied homes in Illinois. Let’s assume each one of those had a Homestead Exemption, which is the requirement. To give everyone $100 under Rep. Didech’s relief fund this task force would have to come up with $355,357,830. Yes, that is “million”… yearly… for a $100 rebate. That is the size of the problem.
Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:17 pm
I sure hope this task force is successful. Then they can get on with a task force to reduce the tolls. I think it can happen.
Comment by SSL Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 12:39 pm
What the what? WAY too big to succeed.
Is this a serious effort to reform property taxes, or smoke and mirrors?
Comment by Left Leaner Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 4:03 pm
Heard they argued for at least an hour at the first meeting about which HDEM member would be the HDEM co-chair or something like that. What a joke..
Comment by JoeMaddon Tuesday, Sep 3, 19 @ 6:03 pm
“There are actually 88 members of that task force. It has eight (8) co-chairs. And seven subcommittees? Oy.”
Ever the master of understatement…
Comment by Touré's Latte Wednesday, Sep 4, 19 @ 1:54 pm