ESSEX – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announced that several school districts in the South Suburbs have received the Illinois State Board of Education Property Tax Relief Grant.

“I think this is a great step toward correcting our broken property tax system,” Joyce said. “We all know how big a burden property taxes are on homeowners, which is why I am glad to see several communities receiving some relief from these grants”

The Property Tax Relief Grant gives school districts with high tax rates relative to other school districts with an opportunity to lower the property tax burden on local taxpayers. Allocating more state funding to local schools that have disproportionate high property taxes allows the amount of school funding provided by property taxes to go down. The amount of funding received by the grant will be included in future state funding for those school districts.

Read more: Joyce announces property tax relief for residents of the South Suburbs

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announces that he agrees with most of the priorities Gov. Pritzker identified in his State of the State address.

“Governor Pritzker hit the nail on the head about many of the problems Illinois must fix,” Joyce said. “He mentioned tackling the property tax system, an issue I’m passionate about. The communities in the South Suburbs I represent have some of the highest property tax rates in the country. That must be corrected.”

“Health care is also an area we must focus on,” Joyce continued. “I plan to promote legislation that assures better advocacy within the health care system.”

UNIVERSITY PARK – After months of using bottled water and special filters, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announced that Aqua Illinois will make it easier for University Park residents to access clean drinking water.

Sen. Joyce helped negotiate an agreement with Aqua Illinois, University Park’s water supplier, that focuses on supplying safe and clean drinking water to residents while the company resolves ongoing lead-contamination issues.

“We should be able to take safe, clean water for granted,” Joyce said. “The residents of University Park deserve affordable, convenient access to drinking water that isn’t contaminated with toxic lead.”

Read more: Joyce negotiates easier access to clean water for University Park

Essex – three local parks will receive over $800,000 to make some major improvements and renovations, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announced today.

The money comes from a grant that is part of the state’s Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The program is providing more than $28 million to support 87 park projects across the state.

“Parks are wonderful. They are a great resource for everyone in the community,” Joyce said.

The OSLAD program began in 1987 and has invested $419.4 million in 1,765 local park projects. The program receives dedicated funding from a percentage of the state’s Real Estate Transfer Tax.

Parks receiving the grant include:

• Somonauk Nature Adventure Park – $395,000.00
• Homewood Estates Park – $295,700.00
• Sgt. Means Park Phase 1 – $175,700.00