Poll: Taxes, economy top voter concerns
(The Center Square) – Voters say taxes and economic concerns top the list of issues facing Illinois.
The Illinois Policy Institute’s newest Lincoln Poll found that more than half of Illinois voters selected high taxes as a top one-or-two issue facing the state. Next-highest was the economy, selected by 41% of respondents.
IPI policy analyst Lily Rossi said Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state lawmakers are not listening to these concerns.
“Just last week or two weeks ago they passed a record-high budget that sticks Illinois families and businesses with over $800 million in new taxes,” Rossi told The Center Square.
According to the poll, concern about the economy is up 8 percentage points from last year.
Rossi said state leaders should ensure responsible budgeting by not spending more than taxpayers can bear.
“Just last year, for example, taxpayers were on the hook for $3 million spent on pickleball courts and $1 million to rethink capitalism,” Rossi said.
The poll of 517 likely Illinois voters was taken May 9 to 11 by M3 Strategies for the Illinois Policy Institute. The margin of error is 4.13 percentage points.
Sixty-one percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the value their community gets for property taxes.
“That is a really big issue because we see those taxes hurting Illinois families and businesses, and then we see those families and businesses leaving the state,” Rossi said.
According to IPI, Illinois property taxes are more than double the national average, at an effective rate of 1.88%.
State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, said he is disappointed that the state’s property tax working group has gone two legislative sessions without moving substantive reform.
“None of these reforms are easy. It’s a difficult problem to correct, but it’s something that is impacting too many residents, and it has to be addressed,” DeLuca told The Center Square.
DeLuca said he would like to see more effort put toward property tax relief and reform.
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
Four service members killed in KC-135 crash
U.S. military jet goes down over Iraq; incident not attributed to hostile fire
Casey-Westfield Explodes for 12 Runs in Third Inning, Downs Neoga 17-5
Pritzker: ‘God was looking out for people’ in storm-damaged Kankakee County
Illinois Quick Hits: Correctional officer charged with sexual misconduct
Costco faces lawsuit as consumers seek refunds from invalid tariffs
Insurer won’t back Gori defense vs asbestos lawsuit fraud claims
With teachers union support, committee approves charter school mandates
Allstate can’t delete class action over alleged secret app tracking
Chicago voters view housing affordability as bigger issue than crime
New Illinois gun bill aims at glock switches; critics say it misses the real problem
Illinois quick hits: Cook County spends nearly $20 million on food, housing services; Chicago Teachers Union tells teachers, students to skip school; Russell Dickerson to play Du Quoin State Fair
