Gov. J.B. Pritzker could sign Senate Bill 3567, which proponents say is a government transparency and pro-taxpayer initiative.
Opponents fear the measure would step on local government’s toes, but a state senator says the government’s taxation authority needs and should have transparency, especially when it comes to taxation.
The bill requires all taxing districts to post their Truth in Taxation notices in a visible place on the taxing district’s website homepage or through a link easily found on the homepage for at least 30 consecutive days.
State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, explained the Truth in Taxation notices are generated by action of the county board. The notice does not include their spending plan, but it does include how much money they’re going to be taking in and from what, who and how.
“Finding these documents is often a challenge. We get this a lot when it comes to our property tax bill and people will say, ‘Well, we blame the local municipality for the property tax bill,’ when 70-90% of it goes to the school,” said Chesney. “The same thing happens on other types of taxation, where you just want to see where the money flows.”
Only Republicans sponsored the measure, but it passed both chambers unanimously. State Rep. Amy Elik carried the measure in the House.
“This only applies to taxing districts that have a website maintained by full time staff,” said Elik
Upon the governor’s signature the measure would take effect immediately.
“I think most taxing bodies are not hiding this information but I don’t know if they are going out of their way to make it accessible. It sheds more light on local government and it [the bill] says. ‘Hey we know you’re going to tax and we know there is a taxation component you have to pass, there’s a levy, local taxation, every county, home-rule municipalities and non-home rule…it’s a complicated discussion but at a minimum you should have to disclose what it looks like,’” said Chesney.
Chesney said he thinks conservatives want to have full-transparency in state and local government.
“There could be an argument that you have Springfield telling a local township what they have to disclose to the public and this bill would require that, but I don’t think that is out of line with the function of state government…having transparency bills,” said Chesney.
Chesney said that there has to be state standards on certain issues and he said taxation transparency should be a state-standard. The bill had no opposition in either chamber.
