Morrison supports property tax freeze proposals

• Property Taxes

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) issued the following statement today after voting in support of a pair of proposals that would institute a two-year property tax freeze for Illinois homeowners:

“Rising property taxes continue to be one of the biggest concerns facing suburban residents in my district. It is imperative we continue working on ways to reduce the financial burden being felt by too many homeowners.”

The proposals, contained in Senate Bills 482 and 484, passed the Senate with bipartisan support this afternoon and now head to the Illinois House for further debate.

Morrison plan expanding local government consolidation passes Senate

• Local Government
• Government Consolidation
• House Bill 607

SPRINGFIELD – Voters would be empowered to decide local government consolidation measures under a plan passed in the Senate yesterday and sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield).

“Illinois has the most units of local government of any state in the country,” Morrison said. “By empowering local voters, who know the needs of their communities, we are providing the opportunity to increase efficiencies and reduce costs to taxpayers.”

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Morrison to convene summer hearings in response to DCFS failures (VIDEO)

• DCFS
• Children
• Video

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) announced a series of summer hearings today in response to continued high-profile failures at the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

"Recent reports of another child abuse investigation that ended in tragedy highlight that there is something terribly wrong going on in an agency whose sole mission is to protect kids,” Morrison said. “These hearings are not meant to place blame on any one person. But it is imperative we work to find out where this agency is failing. If we don’t look, we will never see.”

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Morrison passes plan increasing financial disclosure by politicians

• Ethics
• SB 1289

SPRINGFIELD – A plan by State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) that would increase transparency and modernize financial disclosure forms filled out by politicians, judges and certain state employees passed the Senate this morning.

“Our current financial disclosure process is antiquated and not built to properly disclose vital information that is the purpose behind this process,” Morrison said. “Taxpayers should be assured that their lawmakers are operating under the highest levels of ethics and transparency.”

Morrison’s plan, contained in Senate Bill 1289, updates the Statement of Economic Interest form, a financial disclosure form meant to increase transparency among elected officials and state employees involved with bidding and state contracts. The form has undergone few changes since it was enacted in 1972.

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