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Property tax relief for returning veterans Providing
property tax relief for veterans coming home from service is the aim
of legislation I am proud to sponsor.
Senate Bill 3180 creates the returning veterans' homestead
exemption, which allows returning veterans to receive a one-time
reduction of $5,000 in the equalized assessed valuation of their
homes.
The legislation is an attempt to help returning troops sort
through the financial complications that may arise as a result of
their deployment. Many soldiers take a substantial pay cut when they
are deployed and would benefit from the property tax relief provided
by a lower equalized assessed valuation.
The exemption would apply for the first year the veterans return
home. Members of the U.S. armed forces, the Illinois National Guard
and the U.S. Reserves would be eligible for the exemption.
Senate Bill 3180 is currently being held in Senate Rules
Committee.
Illinois lawmakers also passed legislation last year that gives
active military personnel an extended interest-free grace period for
paying their property taxes.
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 Two weeks and counting
It's been two weeks since the Democratic-controlled General
Assembly missed its scheduled April 7 adjournment deadline.
The House of Representatives did meet last week, on April 18 and
19, and is scheduled to be in Springfield again on Tuesday and
Wednesday.
The Senate was scheduled to return to Springfield on Wednesday
this week, but because of the lack of action on budget negotiations,
that date has been canceled. The Senate's next scheduled session
date is May 2 -- more than three weeks after the original
adjournment date.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum succeeds expectations
The staff at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum had reason
to celebrate on April 19, the museum's first anniversary.
According to Tom Schwartz, acting director of the museum, the
attendance figure for the first year -- more than 600,000 people --
is twice what was expected. Numbers of visitors were higher at other
Lincoln sites as well.
For more information, contact the
Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield,
IL 62701; (217) 558-8844.
[Column from
Sen. Bill Brady]
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