Chicago-Area Lawmaker Suspects House Speaker's Procedural Move To Kibosh Automatic Homestead Property Tax Exemption Renewal For Cook County Seniors

In Chicago, Illinois, the Chicago Tribune reports:

• A measure to save senior citizens in Cook County the hassle of reapplying each year for a property tax break is languishing at the Capitol, and its fate may be sealed because House Speaker Michael Madigan opposes it.
• Senior homeowners used to get the special tax exemption automatically renewed, but the General Assembly ended that practice last year as part of a broader tax relief package.
• This year, some lawmakers tried to go back to the old way, allowing nearly 300,000 homeowners 65 and older to get the benefit without filling out a form every year. The idea passed the Senate 54-0.
• But when the bill made it to the House, it got shunted into a three-member subcommittee. There, two of Madigan's top lieutenants — downstate Democratic Reps. Frank Mautino, of Spring Valley, and John Bradley, of Marion — voted against it. That was a partisan political maneuver aimed at smothering the legislation, according to sponsoring Rep. Sidney Mathias, R-Buffalo Grove. "I suppose that way only two people have to say they voted 'no.' And they were, if I recall, not from Cook County. So, yes, that's why they have all revenue bills in subcommittee rather than have the full committee to vote on it," Mathias said.

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• New county Assessor Joe Berrios, who fears up to 90,000 seniors are on the verge of losing tax breaks because they haven't reapplied this year, said he will try to persuade Madigan, a longtime political ally, to change his mind. Berrios, who doubles as county Democratic chairman, said he plans this week to lobby Madigan, the longtime Illinois Democratic Party chairman who usually can pass or kill a bill at will.

For more, see Push to make senior tax break automatic stalls in House (Speaker Michael Madigan opposes benefit for Cook County seniors).