Zion Mayor/City Council keep fighting to lower residents' tax bill

ZION, Illinois – City of Zion Mayor Billy McKinney delivered an impassioned speech at the June 4th Zion City Council meeting to highlight city government’s efforts to reduce millions of dollars in taxes for Zion businesses and homeowners.

McKinney focused on the successful efforts of the City to secure State of Illinois funding through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). According to a State of Illinois press release on March 7, 2023, the CEJA legislation will make up to $14 million available to Zion taxing districts that can be used to reduce bills on businesses and homeowners.

McKinney and the City met with all taxing districts and strongly urged that the funds be used to reduce resident tax bills. The process was open and transparent as the objective was to achieve unanimous agreement given the tax relief will benefit residents and businesses citywide, McKinney said.

However, the Zion-Benton District 126 and Zion Elementary District 6, which receive a combined 77 percent of Zion’s tax payments, have recently decided to block the use of the money to reduce tax bills by millions of dollars. The schools -- even after spending more than $21 million in recent years for a natatorium (aquatics center) and a state-of-the-art theater, have moved to block the City’s efforts, McKinney said.

“I am all for education. I graduated with an Education Degree from Northwestern, but we also must try to help the families of these children and the grandmother who has to choose between paying for medicine or food or paying tax bills, which will be lowered under the City’s plan,” McKinney said.

CEJA provides some municipalities with funds to spur economic development and reduce local taxes. Zion became involved in CEJA due to the closure of the Zion Nuclear Power Plant. As citizens might recall, the Zion Nuclear Power Plant employed nearly 700 people and supported numerous local businesses. The plant shut down on February 13, 1998, leading to a drastic reduction in property tax revenue, declining from $19.6 million in 1996 to about $1.6 million in 2016 with steady decreases thereafter. Until Zion acted to secure the tax relief funds, the rising burden has fallen directly on residents.

“The citizens of Zion deserve an economic break,” McKinney said. “This is a rare opportunity to meet economic need with a compassionate solution. It is the right thing to do.”