Kendall County Times

Kane County officials have considered raising property taxes in an effort to make up for a $3 million deficit as a result of new mandates in the SAFE-T Act, a move that Illinois State Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) is against. 

Wheeler addressed the possible tax hike resulting from what he called "unfunded mandates" during an October 5 news conference. 

"Illinois already has the second highest property taxes in the nation and now with the highest inflation in 40 years, this is not the time to add to our highest in the nation overall tax burden," Wheeler said during the news conference. "The Democratic majority SAFE-T Act is forcing our local governments to consider raising property taxes to make our communities less safe. I am strongly opposed to any property tax increase of any kind."

Wheeler, who was first elected to The Illinois House in 2014, has vowed to keep fighting for a repeal of the so-called Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, a law he was opposed to in the General Assembly.

At the beginning of the year, Illinois Republicans filed a House Resolution asking for the law to be repealed calling it both damaging and dangerous, Capitol News Illinois reported. 

According to Capitol News Illinois, Democrat lawmakers disagree with their GOP colleagues' stance on the SAFE-T Act, saying Republicans were fear-mongering because many items included in the bill had yet to take effect.