Emanuel’s Tax Plan

If you’re at all curious about the sizeable property tax hike (the largest in the city’s history) that Mayor Emanuel hopes to us to avoid restructuring the way Chicago’s government operates, here’s a pretty fair summary from Rich Miller:

We have a whole lot of nothing going on these days. For instance, a minor fuss was made recently at the Statehouse when a city of Chicago honcho showed up to testify about Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s property tax proposal without having actual written legislation to talk about.

But, in reality, that thing ain’t going anywhere.

So far, the governor is opposed to the plan, which would exempt homeowners with houses appraised at $250,000 or less from Emanuel’s massive property tax hike. The main burden would fall on commercial property owners and Rauner has said their opposition is valid and that everyone’s property taxes should be capped at current levels—despite Chicago’s horrific fiscal problems.

As long as Rauner remains opposed, it’s highly unlikely that the House could pass such a bill. The House Democrats have not yet convinced the Republicans to break with their party’s governor on anything, and they’re surely not going to do so over a vote for Chicago, and it’s doubtful that all Downstate and suburban Democrats will go along without some relief for their own taxpayers.

The city is simply going to have to find another way to solve its problem unless and until the governor and the legislative leaders work things out. Which may be never at the rate they’re going.

The city doesn’t have the authority to impose the tax without a by your leave from the state. And the Democrats in the state legislature don’t love either Chicago or Rahm Emanuel enough to fall on their swords to save it or him.

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