Property Tax Relief Clears Legislature SPRINGFIELD, IL (wqub) - For the next few years ... many Cook County residents will get a property tax break. It's part of a measure the state legisalture approved Friday to combat large spikes in tax bills. Amanda Vinicky has details:

Eligible homeowners ... mainly those in growing areas where property values have climbed ... will get tax deductions for the next three years. It's a plan lawmakers had agreed to earlier this year.

The Governor had tried to give homeowners even more relief, and in perpetuity.

For awhile it appeared that because lawmakers couldn't agree on which option's best ... Cook County residents wouldn't get any relief at all.

But at the end of the legislative veto session ... the Senate agreed with the House and overrode the Governor's veto. That means the lesser, temporary relief will kick in when tax bills go out next month.

Republican Senator Matt Murphy of Palatine says he would have preferred more relief. But Murphy says it will help people cope with rising tax bills.

"I've got people in my district frankly who are long time residents who have lived there for years who are scared. They're scared they can't afford to remain in the house they raised their children in."

Additionally ... the measure allows veterans, disabled people and senior citizens to get homestead exemptions. The state will create a tax force to investigate Illinois' property tax system. And the new law sets up a standard way to asses property values of wind farms.

I'm Amanda Vinicky.

The single Senator who voted against the proposal was Senate President Emil Jones ... a Chicago Democrat. He says if the legislature is really interested in helping homeowners ... lawmakers would have given them more relief.
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