Kankakee Times

Historically, Illinois has been a state with some of the highest taxes in the country. Over the past decade, the state has encountered major budgeting issues and experienced a gas tax increase in 2021 and an income tax increase in 2017. Although not controlled by state legislators, property taxes statewide have followed in tandem, increasing significantly as well.

“High property taxes are crushing families from Chicago Heights to Kankakee," said Philip Nagel, a Republican candidate for Illinois State Senate, District 40. "Already forced to pay the second highest property taxes in the nation, four years of complete Democrat control in Springfield have  burdened our people even more."

Nagel said "the average working family in our community has paid $2,288 more in property taxes since J.B. Pritzker, Patrick Joyce and Springfield Democrats pushed their agenda through."

With recent inflation, "local governments can now increase property taxes even more than usual," Nagel said. "I demand that local government officials oppose any burdensome property tax increases on the residents of the 40th District taxpayers so that working families in our communities can keep more of their hard-earned money.”

Illinois Policy reported that under Pritzker, Illinoisians have paid $2,288 more in property taxes on top of the net tax hike of $2,164.57. This year, a rebate was offered with the median being $279.

The Center Square reported that since 1990, Illinoisian households have seen a 268% increase in tax bills while average home values have only appreciated 114%. In real dollars, residents of  Illinois are now paying $4,400 in property taxes.

Illinois ranks sixth in the nation for the percentage of property tax paid to property value, according to tax-rate.org. Collar counties in Illinois experience the highest property tax rates with Lake  County coming in at the top of the list at a median property tax rate of $6,285. Overall, the median property tax is $3,507 (7th of 50), and the percentage of income is 5.11% (5th of 50).

The State Senate 40th District is comprised of Kankakee and Will County. Kankakee County’s average yearly property taxes amount to 4.47% of the resident’s yearly income, ranking 142nd out of the nation's 3,143 counties. Will County’s average yearly property taxes amount to 5.88% of the resident’s yearly income, ranking 43rd out of 3,143 counties.

Nagel is a veteran, former EMT/fireman and currently works as a migration specialist for a worldwide company. He is a lifelong resident of Will County striving to preserve an Illinois where the constitutional rights of citizens are respected and upheld, his website states.