Election year tax rebates to go out to Illinois taxpayers before election

[July 15, 2022]  By Greg Bishop | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Income and property taxpayers in Illinois can expect to start seeing state rebate checks sometime the second week of September, just before the November election.

Illinois lawmakers approved rebates as part of the budget that began July 1. Individual income tax filers will get $50 each and $100 per dependent up to three. Property taxpayers will get up to $300 additional, depending on the value of their home.

Managing the payments is Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza.

“My expectation is that by the week of Sept. 12 is that my office will be prepared to start issuing those rebates,” Mendoza told WMAY.

Mendoza said taxpayers just need to sit back.
 

“Most people have already filed their income tax returns and so if you did and whether you had to pay or you got money back, it doesn’t matter, everyone will be getting a tax rebate,” she said.

There is an income threshold of $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for couples filing jointly to receive the rebate.

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza
Image courtesy of BlueRoomStream

Payment will be made electronically, or by check, depending on how the individual filed.

Only those who paid property taxes will get the property tax rebate.

“If you’re a renter, that wouldn't apply to you,” Mendoza said. “But if you own a property and you paid property taxes on that, there is an additional rebate that will be coming with that.”

All the rebates a taxpayer is eligible for will be combined.

“We’re going to combine both into one check,” Mendoza said. “That’s what I think we’re going to do because I like to save money wherever I can, even if that means two payments in one check.”

While Republicans mostly supported the tax rebates at the statehouse in April, they called it an election-year gimmick and pushed for permanent, not one-time tax relief.

Mendoza is expected to face Republican comptroller candidate Shannon Teresi in November. Libertarian comptroller candidate Deirdre McCloskey has filed to also appear on the November ballot.

Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of Springfield.