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Monticello Superintendent Watching Tax Freeze, Pension Reforms in Grand Bargain

The Senate continues to hash out various aspects of a grand bargain at the Statehouse with the Governor's budget address on the horizon.
 
The grand bargain negotiations are being watched by just about everyone, including Monticello Superintendent Dr. Vic Zimmerman, who says he is watching closely the property tax and pension portions of the negotiations.
 
He indicates the property tax legislation is a great idea in theory, especially for him a homeowner, but he says it is not for the taxing bodies that rely on those steady revenues in light of state funds decreasing.
 
 
Dr. Zimmerman calls the tax freeze "absolutely not a good thing" because of the impacts it would have not only on school districts, but other taxing bodies across the state of Illinois.
 
 
According to Dr. Zimmerman, the pension reform cost shifts are likely to shift from the State of Illinois to local districts to fund. He explains it is frustrating because it wasn't districts who created the mess at hand.
 
 
Dr. Zimmerman says the only way for revenues to increase in Illinois is ultimately a tax increase of some sort. He says the state needs more revenue while the alternative is reducing expenses, which would be hard to do.
 
He says if a tax increase is the answer, it has to be accompanied with responsible spending and not new programs. 

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