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
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.


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    • Illinois property tax referendum 2026, Casey Chlebek Senate campaign Illinois, Home equity theft Cook County, MAGNA Agenda policy platform, Property Tax Freedom Plan Illinois
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    Illinois taxes are driving families and businesses out of the state

    by Mark Richardson
    Illinois News Connection
    Studies show the tax burden on people and businesses in Illinois - and particularly those in Chicago - is among the highest in the country.

    Economists warn that unless lawmakers change how they write budgets, Illinois is likely to continue its decade-long exodus of residents and businesses.

    Reports show that the median Illinois household has a tax liability of $9,500, while Chicago's debt per taxpayer is almost $42,000.

    Justin Carlson is a policy analyst for Illinois Policy Institute. He said the main driver of debt at both Chicago City Hall and the statehouse is underfunded pensions.

    "It means higher taxes and higher fees, as the pension systems have required more funding," said Carlson. "That's less funding that you have for education or health care or social programs, or violence prevention, different things that communities rely on."

    Carlson said the watchdog group Truth in Accounting reports Chicago's debt totals almost $49 billion, with two-thirds of that owed to the city's pension fund. In recent years, the city has almost doubled its property taxes to make its annual payments.

    Carlson said across the state, the annual effective tax rate is just over 15%, making it the largest among the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

    He said the high taxes are taking the biggest bite out of the incomes of people in marginalized neighborhoods and communities of color.

    "That burden shifts even more to the people who can't afford to leave or don't want to leave," said Carlson. "Your taxes are just going to continue to go up, and that kind of feeds this vicious cycle where you have less money to draw from, and then the people who are left need to pay for higher and higher burdens."

    He said part of the problem is that the formula for funding public pensions is spelled out in the Illinois Constitution, giving lawmakers very little leeway in how they write the budget.

    "If you wanted to reform public pensions in Illinois, you would need to advance a constitutional amendment in order to change the benefits that are currently being offered," said Carlson. "So it's the case really locally and statewide of pensions being over-promised."

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