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* UPDATED x1 * House sponsor indicates SEIU Healthcare is winning legislative battle against nursing homes

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Illinois Senate President Don Harmon is backing legislation that would provide tens of millions of dollars in property tax breaks for nursing homes in Cook County after accepting nearly $2 million in campaign contributions from their industry trade group, including more than $700,000 in the past year.

A political action committee for the Health Care Council of Illinois is one of Harmon’s biggest campaign contributors in recent years. It represents nursing home interests and is lobbying members of the General Assembly to pass the tax relief measure in coming days.

* Much of the information in the piece was covered by Crain’s Chicago Business a week ago. From that story…

If enacted into law, the measure would shift tens of millions of dollars “and maybe more” in annual property taxes from nursing facilities to homeowners and other businesses, according to Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office. Some south suburban communities would be particularly affected. […]

The fray has largely gone under the radar. The provision involved was quietly tucked into a much larger property tax bill that mostly dealt with routine matters. The provision to cut nursing home taxes surfaced as an amendment introduced on May 19 in the state Senate, was approved by the full Senate on the same day, then sent to the House for concurrence. […]

A fact sheet distributed by the health care council and its lobbyist to lawmakers says the tax-cut bill would provide “critical relief” to 300 nursing homes in Cook County “that have been experiencing escalating property taxes and systemic inequities. . . .The current system is not sustainable and is adding to the financial burdens that could force some nursing homes to close and reduce access for residents in their communities who need it the most.” […]

[Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s] team found the tax shift from nursing homes to other taxpayers would exceed 2% of total valuations in several towns and hit 8.5% in Robbins. Chicago has a much wider tax base, but, even there, other taxpayers would have to have to pick up $441 million in valuation being removed from nursing homes, says David Morrison, deputy assessor for policy and intergovernmental affairs.

The House voted to concur on the amendment six days after the Senate passed the amended HB2507. It ended up clearing both chambers without a single vote against. The governor has suggested that members didn’t quite know what they were voting for.

* But here’s something not mentioned in either story: While it’s true that the Health Care Council of Illinois has contributed $115,000 to three of Harmon’s campaign committees since early August, the chief opponent to the amendment, SEIU Healthcare IL/IN, has contributed a total of $137,000 to Harmon’s personal and caucus committees since late August. And SEIU Healthcare has contributed a total of $373,000 to state legislative committees since the start of August, including $137,000 to Speaker Chris Welch’s personal and caucus committees.

Those contributions appear to have had an impact.

* The House’s chief sponsor, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, told Crain’s that she would move for an override, but also said she’d be willing to pull out the nursing home language if that’s what her colleagues wanted. Well, a week later, she indicated to the Sun-Times that her colleagues weren’t thrilled about voting to override the governor’s veto. But Rep. Kifowit’s quote was buried near the end of the story…

“In talking to members of the caucus, they want more discussion and research on this topic,” said state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego. “I think that they want to pause” and “look at it holistically how we can provide assistance to those nursing homes.”

If the bill’s sponsor in the originating chamber is saying that, then SEIU Healthcare has likely won the floor fight, regardless of any shenanigans in the spring. There’s still almost two weeks left to go, though.

*** UPDATE *** I asked the Senate sponsor of the amendment in question, Celina Villanueva, if Harmon or his chief of staff had anything to do with the nursing home language. Sen. Villanueva’s response…

No. This came out of the on going negotiations/convos with my House counterpart.

A whole lot of ink may have been spilled for nothing.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 1:12 pm

Comments

Both the Health Care Council of IL and SEIU Healthcare has a long history of throwing big sums of cash at whoever is running the Dem party. Nothing new here.

Shifting the property tax burden on homeowners seems to be where all tax hikes end up.

Comment by City Zen Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 1:50 pm
If they pass a tax break for nursing homes, it should be statewide, not just preferential treatment for Cook County.

Comment by DuPage Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:08 pm
===If they pass a tax break for nursing homes===

This is your take on the post?

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:15 pm
Two points:

1) Someone always has to be the boogeyman. Madigan filled that role for a very long time and now Don Harmon wears the crown.

2) The writer of this story is notorious for ridiculous gotcha stories that have no real substance and make circumstantial nothings seem like corruption. Go back and review his other work.

Comment by on point Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:34 pm
- on point -

So much of the way Harmon goes about his independence and business in leading the caucus and chamber has a Madigan styling.

While the senate is the “forgotten” chamber around here, it’s always the bills that pass with limited exposure that can have a greater change.

To the post, and that thinking,

So much of legislating… lobbying, working, and passing… is what can be done with the biggest impact with the least scrutiny to it.

This is like watching a football play while others are watching a cornerback and wide receiver work on their own in that micro. This time the announcers and tee-vee were watching the WR and DB and now both are changing their tactics.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:47 pm
The significant difference is that Harmon and his entourage are neither about to be convicted, and/or are awaiting sentencing as convicted felons.

Pretty sure that President Harmon finds the organized crime syndicate approach employed for decades by Madigan as repulsive as the next guy (particularly jurors).

The Madigan is playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers schtick rings even more hollow as lying, cheating, felons get sentenced. Remember, ComEd is but one company. This behavior was widespread and flaunted for years.

That so many continue to not understand that it is wrong is as sad as the crimes themselves.

Comment by Um, no Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 3:04 pm
Look at all the jobs and businesses that have relocated outside of Cook County to avoid being hit with it’s classification system that punishes businesses.

I guess one could argue nursing homes are residential facilities, but the Governor’s political short sidedness only means that the state budget will have to eventually pony up the money SEIU always extracts from the nursing home owners

Comment by ANON Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 3:42 pm
===is that Harmon and his entourage===

The lack of understanding to what I wrote is found on this lil remark.

===So much of the way Harmon goes about his independence and business in leading the caucus and chamber has a Madigan styling.===

It’s truly comical to a sense of lacking self-awareness.

The rest is excuses.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 3:43 pm
If it’s OK to legislatively improve the bottom line for Nursing Homes at the expense of Cook County home owners it should be OK to do the same for hotel owners, grocery store owners
liquor store owners, ect. Just contribute to the right PAC & your wish will be granted.

Comment by southside Sam Monday, Oct 30, 23 @ 3:51 pm