North Cook News

Katie Miller, who is seeking the House seat in District 53, says a recent Economist report on the property tax system reveals detailed deception. 

Responding to the report titled “How Cook County’s machine works: The Symbiotic Relationship Between Property Tax Lawyers and Elected Politicians,” Miller released the following statement on her Facebook page.

"The property tax system is rigged in Illinois,” the Republican running to replace retiring Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights) said. “It has been set up to profit by the political insiders like (House Speaker Mike) Madigan and Berrios. Our rates are the highest in the nation and is driving people out of Illinois.”

Miller said in 2015, nearly 50 percent of property tax appeals concerning 370,000 parcels of land were successful, noting the success rate in New York City is 16 percent.

“Property tax lawyers, like Mike Madigan, earned an estimated $133 million from tax reductions cases between 2009 and 2015,” Miller said. “It’s clear that appeals help the wealthy more than middle income taxpayers.”

Miller said increases in property taxes are driving down home values.

“In our district, values in Arlington Heights are down 19.5 percent, Mount Prospect 34.1 percent, Prospect Heights 36.1 percent and Des Plaines 42 percent. This hurts our families and makes it harder to live here.

That’s why I’m demanding a 1 percent property tax cap so you know what your taxes are going to be every year,” Miller said. “Every time that taxes increase taxpayers need adjust their household budgets. I think it needs to be the other way around and that Illinois needs to adjust its budget and give taxpayers a break.”

Miller said elected officials must end the deceit driving Illinoisans from their homes. “We need to stop the corrupt property tax system in Illinois and start putting taxpayers first,” Miller said.

The 53rd House District includes parts of Arlington Heights, Prospect Heights and Mt. Prospect.