ILL-inois has nation's 2nd highest property taxes

Niles Township Building

Illinois is plagued with more units of government than any other state--even though four states have more people. For instance, a few blocks down the street from me is the office for Niles Township. Other than running a food bank I have no idea what they do there and the food bank could easily be handed over to another public entity. As for township government--it's an 18th century relic that was devised to manage newly settled lands.

Getting rid of township government would be a good start remake Illinois.

Oh, why the rambling? Because Illinois residents suffer the burden of the nation's highest property taxes. Only New Jerseyites pay more.

From ABC 7 Chicago:

The average American household spends $2,089 on real estate property taxes each year. The average in Illinois? Nearly twice that number.

Roughly $15 billion-worth of homes are also foreclosed upon as a result of property tax delinquencies each year, according to the National Tax Lien Association.

Fortunately Illinois now has a reform governor in Republican Bruce Rauner who wants to cut the units of government in the Land of Lincoln.

Of course doing so is only part of what Illinoisans need to lower their taxes.

The Prairie State is also burdened by high sales taxes. And nine states don't even have an income tax.