HB156, which passed the House last week with broad bipartisan support, conservatively increases the general homestead exemption from $6000 to $8000, and increases the senior citizen homestead exemption from $5,000 to $6,000. It also provides that the standard homestead exemption for veterans with disabilities also applies to veterans who are 75 years of age or older. Under the legislation, senior veterans become eligible for an exemption of $2,500, and it creates a statewide long-time occupant homestead exemption.
Rep. McCombie on Wednesday also said the bill provides relief, not a freeze. She said she agreed with the bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, that the legislation is a “start.”
“I think it is a wonderful start,” Rep. McCombie said. “This is not the answer; this is not the end. It’s a start to true property tax relief. That’s the key.
“It’s not about freezing taxes,” she said. “It’s not about hurting our schools or municipalities. It’s about helping us, then in turn we can help those folks. We don’t want to make decisions in the state that go to the detriment of our schools.”