The Sentinel: 09/02/25

Group urges passage of child care bill to help Illinois families

Illinois advocates urge Congress to pass the Child Care for Working Families Act to lower child care costs.

by Mark Richardson
Public News Service

CHICAGO - Advocates for working families are asking Congress to pass a bill to lower the cost of child care in Illinois and across the U.S.

The Child Care for Working Families Act is stalled in the Republican-controlled Congress. The measure would increase federal funding so child care would cost no more than 7% of a family's annual income. The median family income in Illinois is about $80,000 a year.

Amber Knight, board president of the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children, said currently, most families are priced out of the child care market.

"This act is going to help working families," Knight asserted. "It's going to provide security and being able to have children attend early-childhood education settings without having the burden be solely placed on families."

Early childhood education is so beneficial to the children and families

The bill would fund grants to open new child care centers and guarantee higher wages for providers, in order to stabilize and grow the workforce. The two biggest programs in the bill, Child Care and Development Fund and Head Start, would receive about $12 billion each. Most House and Senate Democrats are backing the bill, while Republicans oppose it because of its cost.

Knight noted many Illinois families, especially those in rural areas, live in so-called "child care deserts," where the supply is insufficient to meet the need. She stressed it forces working families to make hard social and financial decisions.

"People are able to go to work if their child is being taken care of and also be able to take care of their family by not putting their whole paycheck to child care," Knight explained.

She pointed out studies show children who get an early start on education perform better during their entire time is school and are more successful later in life.

"Early childhood education is so beneficial to the children and families and being able to give them the access in any way we can," Knight added. "Helping the families or helping the centers will really benefit our future."

Tags: Illinois child care costs, Child Care for Working Families Act 2025, early childhood education funding, child care deserts in Illinois, Head Start and Child Care Development Fund expansion

GOP Senate Candidate Casey Chlebek targets property taxes in Illinois with referendum proposal

Chlebek proposes Property Tax Freedom Plan to replace local property taxes while protecting schools and services.

PARK RIDGE - Casey Chlebek, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, called on the Illinois General Assembly Tuesday to put a statewide advisory referendum on the 2026 ballot, arguing Illinois voters deserve a direct say in what he described as a property tax crisis driving families from their homes.

Casey Chlebek

Chlebek’s proposal would allow voters to weigh in on whether Illinois should abolish property taxes on primary residences and replace them with alternative funding for schools, police, fire departments and other local services.

Only the legislature and the governor can place an advisory referendum on the statewide ballot. Although not binding, Chlebek said such a move would send “an unmistakable message” to lawmakers.

“Homeownership should mean freedom, not perpetual rent to the government,” Chlebek said. “But in Illinois, families are being robbed of their homes and their life savings over tax debts smaller than the cost of a used car. That is legalized theft, plain and simple. The referendum is step one, a mandate from the people, and after that, Springfield will have no excuse. They must act.”

High taxes, lost homes

Illinois homeowners pay the highest effective property tax rate in the nation, according to 2023 figures. Since 2019, more than 1,000 Cook County residents - including 125 seniors - have lost homes valued at $108 million to cover just $2.3 million in unpaid tax debts.

In May 2022 alone, 37,000 Cook County properties were listed for a delinquent tax sale, more than half for debts under $1,000. In Illinois, 70% of tax foreclosure cases involved debts smaller than the value of a 10-year-old car.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the practice of seizing and reselling homes for tax debts without returning excess equity to owners unconstitutional in 2023. While more than a dozen states have reformed their laws, Illinois has not.

You can pay off your mortgage and still lose your home and your equity if you fall behind on taxes

“This is not just bad policy, it is legalized theft,” Chlebek said. “Illinoisans are paying the nation’s highest property taxes, and when they fall behind, their homes are being taken for pennies on the dollar. That is unconscionable.”

Federal plan, local control

Chlebek tied his proposal to his “Property Tax Freedom Plan,” which he said would ensure local services remain fully funded while families get relief. He emphasized that schools, police, fire protection and roads would be supported through replacement revenue, not cuts. “You can pay off your mortgage and still lose your home and your equity if you fall behind on taxes,” he said. “That is not ownership, that is bondage. I am the only candidate with a clear plan to end this injustice.” Chlebek, a business leader and Polish-American community advocate, is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2026. His property tax plan is the first pillar of what he calls his MAGNA Agenda, short for “Make America the Greatest Nation Again,” a seven-part domestic policy platform.