A legislative roundtable was hosted this morning by the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation.
The Panelists
On the panel – Senators Linda Holmes and Laura Ellman, and Representatives Stephanie Kifowit and Grant Wehrli.
The discussion started with two prepared questions for the local leaders.
Property Taxes
The first question addressed Illinois’ high property taxes for the middle class. The panelists agreed that tiff reform is needed.
“If you live in the 204 area of Naperville, the city of Aurora is looking to tiff that is going to negatively impact, in my opinion, 204 in the long term. It’s a bad idea,” said Wehrli.
Holmes brought up consolidation as another solution – but she doesn’t necessarily believe it would work for the whole state.
“We need to understand in representing Illinois, don’t just listen to those broad stroke headlines because what works in the suburbs, may not work in the city of Chicago, may definitely not work in rural Southern Illinois,” said Holmes.
State Legislative Maps
The second addressed the way state legislative maps are drawn to represent the population in each district, an important question since there’s a high chance Illinois may lose at least one seat in the House of Representatives.
Holmes reminded the public that for each state, the party that’s in charge – Democratic or Republican – decides how the map is drawn.
Both Kifowit and Wehrli agreed that instead, a fair map should be used nationwide.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
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