Florida voters may soon decide on eliminating property taxes. Casey Chlebek says Illinois should give voters the same chance.
PARK RIDGE, ILL - In a political moment where property taxes are usually treated as an unavoidable fact of life, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Casey Chlebek says Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just cracked the door wide open and Illinois leaders are pretending not to notice. As DeSantis moves forward with a 2026 ballot initiative that would eliminate property taxes on primary residences in Florida, Chlebek is renewing his call for Illinois to let voters weigh in on whether the state should do the same. For Chlebek, the contrast between Florida’s momentum and Illinois’ silence is becoming harder to ignore.
Illinois has the highest effective property tax rate in the nation. Florida does not rank in the top 20.
“Governor DeSantis just proved this isn’t a pipe dream,” Chlebek said. “Florida is putting this question directly to voters in 2026. Illinois should do the same.” DeSantis announced last week that Florida voters will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment eliminating property taxes on homesteaded properties. The proposal would require 60 percent voter approval and includes safeguards to protect funding for schools and law enforcement. It also lays out a phased approach that includes $1,000 rebate checks for homeowners in December 2025 and long-term revenue replacement through spending reforms and alternative funding sources. Chlebek has been making a similar argument in Illinois since September, when he first called on Gov. JB Pritzker and the General Assembly to place a statewide advisory referendum on the 2026 ballot. Florida’s move, he said, strips away the usual excuses coming out of Springfield. Illinois has the highest effective property tax rate in the nation. Florida does not rank in the top 20. Yet Florida’s governor is pushing for elimination while Illinois leaders continue to describe meaningful reform as too complicated or politically risky. “We have the worst property tax crisis in America, and our leaders are doing nothing,” Chlebek said. “Florida’s taxes are lower than ours, and they’re still saying enough is enough.” The stakes, he argues, are not theoretical. Since 2019, more than 1,000 Cook County residents have lost homes worth an estimated $108 million over roughly $2.3 million in unpaid property taxes. That group included at least 125 seniors. The difference between the tax debt and the home’s value was kept by the government and private investors, a practice the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in 2023.
Families across the political spectrum are drowning in property taxes.
Despite that ruling, Illinois has yet to fully reform its property tax foreclosure laws. “In Florida, they’re fighting to eliminate property taxes for homeowners who can pay,” Chlebek said. “In Illinois, we’re seizing homes from seniors who fall behind and keeping their equity. That’s not tax collection. That’s state-sanctioned theft.” Florida is not acting alone. Republican leaders in Texas, Kansas, Montana and Pennsylvania are advancing their own property tax relief or elimination proposals. Several states have already moved to stop home equity theft following the Supreme Court’s decision. Illinois, Chlebek noted, has done neither. “This is a national movement, and Illinois is being left behind,” he said. Chlebek’s proposal would place a nonbinding advisory question on the November 2026 ballot asking voters whether Illinois should pursue abolishing property taxes on primary residences and replace them with alternative funding for schools, police, fire protection and local services. While local governments control property taxes under the Illinois Constitution, Chlebek says an overwhelming vote would send a clear signal to lawmakers. “Put it on the ballot. Let the people decide,” he said. “If they say yes, Springfield has to act. If they say no, fine. But at least give them the choice.” He points to Florida as proof that the issue can cut across political divides. DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have clashed on other issues, yet both chambers are aligned on sending the property tax question to voters. “This isn’t partisan. It’s practical,” Chlebek said. “Families across the political spectrum are drowning in property taxes.” For Chlebek, the issue comes down to the basic meaning of homeownership. “You can pay off your mortgage and still lose your home if you fall behind on taxes,” he said. “That’s not ownership. Florida gets it. Illinois voters get it. Now it’s time Springfield gets it, too.”
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