Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For too long, rising property taxes and rent have been forcing out Evanston’s long-term residents. But will city leadership finally take real action to provide relief?
This 20-minute video compilation from the March 11th Finance & Budget Committee meeting takes you inside the discussions surrounding the Evanston Property Tax & Rent Circuit Breaker Program—an initiative designed to provide much-needed relief to long-term homeowners and renters. These clips explain how the program began, how it has evolved, and what’s next.
The program passed the Referral Committee on February 10th and was sent to Human Services and Finance & Budget. It will return in April once more data has been gathered to determine funding needs. So far, we have identified three funding sources and will continue working with Cook County and listening to residents to expand that list.
This program is sponsored by lead sponsor Council member Clare Kelly, along with Council members Tom Suffredin, Eleanor Revelle, and Devon Reid.
This fight for property tax relief has been building for years. During the pandemic, then-2nd Ward Council member Peter Braithwaite and 6th Ward Council member Tom Suffredin had a heated debate over property taxes. Tom strongly opposed increasing property taxes during a crisis, arguing that city leadership should find alternative revenue sources instead of further burdening residents.
But Braithwaite pushed back hard, firmly supporting property tax increases and telling Suffredin:
"You can't come up in here and change the way things are done."
That moment stuck with me. It raised the question—who is city leadership really working for? While residents were struggling under the weight of the pandemic, some elected officials saw higher taxes as the only way forward, instead of seeking new solutions.
Council member Bobby Burns suggested that city staff should have been part of these discussions. We made several attempts. Two city staff members with the capacity to assist either declined to participate or never delivered the requested research and data. We understand that one city staffer, who had the capacity to assist, feared potential consequences for participating in this initiative. As a result, they declined to engage. This underscores a deeper issue—when those in positions to help are hesitant to do so, it raises questions about the environment within City Hall.
Not wanting to risk anyone’s job for supporting a program that would truly help Evanston’s long-term residents, Clare Kelly and I took matters into our own hands, gathering the information ourselves.
Thank you to the Finance & Budget Committee for engaging in this critical discussion and welcoming the program back when the data is complete. Thank you to the residents of Evanston who spoke at public comment and attended the virtual meetings to help shape this program. Your voices, your support, and your commitment to this cause are what continue to drive us forward. This program is for you, and together, we will make sure it reaches its full potential. Stay tuned for updates!
But the question remains—will Evanston’s leadership step up for long-term residents, or will they continue with business as usual?
To watch the entire Finance & Budget Committee meeting for March 11th, go to the City of Evanston YouTube Channel.
#Evanston #PropertyTaxRelief #RentAssistance #CircuitBreakerProgram #AffordableHousing #LongTermResidents #StopDisplacement #CityCouncil #CommunityFirst #EquityInAction #HousingJustice #ClareKelly #TomSuffredin #EleanorRevelle #DevonReid #MeleikaGardner
For too long, rising property taxes and rent have been forcing out Evanston’s long-term residents. But will city leadership finally take real action to provide relief?
This 20-minute video compilation from the March 11th Finance & Budget Committee meeting takes you inside the discussions surrounding the Evanston Property Tax & Rent Circuit Breaker Program—an initiative designed to provide much-needed relief to long-term homeowners and renters. These clips explain how the program began, how it has evolved, and what’s next.
The program passed the Referral Committee on February 10th and was sent to Human Services and Finance & Budget. It will return in April once more data has been gathered to determine funding needs. So far, we have identified three funding sources and will continue working with Cook County and listening to residents to expand that list.
This program is sponsored by lead sponsor Council member Clare Kelly, along with Council members Tom Suffredin, Eleanor Revelle, and Devon Reid.
This fight for property tax relief has been building for years. During the pandemic, then-2nd Ward Council member Peter Braithwaite and 6th Ward Council member Tom Suffredin had a heated debate over property taxes. Tom strongly opposed increasing property taxes during a crisis, arguing that city leadership should find alternative revenue sources instead of further burdening residents.
But Braithwaite pushed back hard, firmly supporting property tax increases and telling Suffredin:
"You can't come up in here and change the way things are done."
That moment stuck with me. It raised the question—who is city leadership really working for? While residents were struggling under the weight of the pandemic, some elected officials saw higher taxes as the only way forward, instead of seeking new solutions.
Council member Bobby Burns suggested that city staff should have been part of these discussions. We made several attempts. Two city staff members with the capacity to assist either declined to participate or never delivered the requested research and data. We understand that one city staffer, who had the capacity to assist, feared potential consequences for participating in this initiative. As a result, they declined to engage. This underscores a deeper issue—when those in positions to help are hesitant to do so, it raises questions about the environment within City Hall.
Not wanting to risk anyone’s job for supporting a program that would truly help Evanston’s long-term residents, Clare Kelly and I took matters into our own hands, gathering the information ourselves.
Thank you to the Finance & Budget Committee for engaging in this critical discussion and welcoming the program back when the data is complete. Thank you to the residents of Evanston who spoke at public comment and attended the virtual meetings to help shape this program. Your voices, your support, and your commitment to this cause are what continue to drive us forward. This program is for you, and together, we will make sure it reaches its full potential. Stay tuned for updates!
But the question remains—will Evanston’s leadership step up for long-term residents, or will they continue with business as usual?
To watch the entire Finance & Budget Committee meeting for March 11th, go to the City of Evanston YouTube Channel.
#Evanston #PropertyTaxRelief #RentAssistance #CircuitBreakerProgram #AffordableHousing #LongTermResidents #StopDisplacement #CityCouncil #CommunityFirst #EquityInAction #HousingJustice #ClareKelly #TomSuffredin #EleanorRevelle #DevonReid #MeleikaGardner
