Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A property tax relief program was ready. The vote was delayed.
March 9, 2026 Evanston City Council voted 5–4 to delay the decision until April 13.
Since November 2024, Councilmember Clare Kelly and I worked to develop the Evanston Property Tax Circuit Breaker - a pilot program designed to give long-time homeowners breathing room as property taxes continue rising faster than many incomes.
Because city staff did not assist in developing the program despite repeated requests, the research and design were built with the help of Cook County officials, housing experts, and Northwestern students.
The data was gathered.
The ordinance was drafted.
A funding source was identified.
Residents called, wrote emails, and spoke up in support because they understand what is happening in Evanston: families who built their lives here are struggling to stay.
However, this effort faced repeated delays.
On March 11, 2025, Councilmember Bobby Burns IMMEDIATELY pushed back on the Circuit Breaker during a Finance & Budget discussion. Over the year that followed, the proposal was delayed multiple times in committee meetings, and no separate property tax relief program was introduced, and it was not a part of the Strategic Housing vision plan.
At the council meeting shown in this video, the council had the opportunity to vote on whether the pilot program should move forward.
Instead, the council voted to table the proposal until April 13. It was delayed...again.
The motion to delay was supported by Bobby Burns, Krissie Harris, Shawn Iles, Jonathan Nieuwsma, and Juan Geracaris...again.
During the meeting, Councilmember Burns stated he would like additional time to develop HIS OWN property tax relief proposal.
Meanwhile, Evanston homeowners are opening property tax bills at their kitchen tables right now.
During the discussion, Mayor Daniel Biss did not offer comments before the vote was taken.
This video highlights key moments from the meeting, including:
• public comment explaining how the effort began
• Councilmember Clare Kelly presenting the Circuit Breaker program
• the council debate that followed
• Councilmembers Tom Suffredin, Matt Rodgers, and Parielle Davis arguing the program could begin helping residents now
• the motion that delayed the vote until April
To the residents who made calls, wrote emails, and spoke up in support of the Circuit Breaker - thank you. Your voices brought property tax relief into the center of this conversation.
The conversation about property tax relief in Evanston is not over.
If you want to understand the deeper backstory behind the Circuit Breaker...how this effort began and what it took to build it...that journey is documented in Chapter 18 of my book Unsafe Black Voice.
Another video will follow highlighting residents who spoke in support of the program.
Residents are watching.
#Evanston
#PropertyTaxRelief
#CircuitBreaker
#LocalGovernment
#HousingJustice
#CityCouncil
#EvanstonPolitics
#HousingPolicy
#CommunityVoices
#UnsafeBlackVoice
A property tax relief program was ready. The vote was delayed.
March 9, 2026 Evanston City Council voted 5–4 to delay the decision until April 13.
Since November 2024, Councilmember Clare Kelly and I worked to develop the Evanston Property Tax Circuit Breaker - a pilot program designed to give long-time homeowners breathing room as property taxes continue rising faster than many incomes.
Because city staff did not assist in developing the program despite repeated requests, the research and design were built with the help of Cook County officials, housing experts, and Northwestern students.
The data was gathered.
The ordinance was drafted.
A funding source was identified.
Residents called, wrote emails, and spoke up in support because they understand what is happening in Evanston: families who built their lives here are struggling to stay.
However, this effort faced repeated delays.
On March 11, 2025, Councilmember Bobby Burns IMMEDIATELY pushed back on the Circuit Breaker during a Finance & Budget discussion. Over the year that followed, the proposal was delayed multiple times in committee meetings, and no separate property tax relief program was introduced, and it was not a part of the Strategic Housing vision plan.
At the council meeting shown in this video, the council had the opportunity to vote on whether the pilot program should move forward.
Instead, the council voted to table the proposal until April 13. It was delayed...again.
The motion to delay was supported by Bobby Burns, Krissie Harris, Shawn Iles, Jonathan Nieuwsma, and Juan Geracaris...again.
During the meeting, Councilmember Burns stated he would like additional time to develop HIS OWN property tax relief proposal.
Meanwhile, Evanston homeowners are opening property tax bills at their kitchen tables right now.
During the discussion, Mayor Daniel Biss did not offer comments before the vote was taken.
This video highlights key moments from the meeting, including:
• public comment explaining how the effort began
• Councilmember Clare Kelly presenting the Circuit Breaker program
• the council debate that followed
• Councilmembers Tom Suffredin, Matt Rodgers, and Parielle Davis arguing the program could begin helping residents now
• the motion that delayed the vote until April
To the residents who made calls, wrote emails, and spoke up in support of the Circuit Breaker - thank you. Your voices brought property tax relief into the center of this conversation.
The conversation about property tax relief in Evanston is not over.
If you want to understand the deeper backstory behind the Circuit Breaker...how this effort began and what it took to build it...that journey is documented in Chapter 18 of my book Unsafe Black Voice.
Another video will follow highlighting residents who spoke in support of the program.
Residents are watching.
#Evanston
#PropertyTaxRelief
#CircuitBreaker
#LocalGovernment
#HousingJustice
#CityCouncil
#EvanstonPolitics
#HousingPolicy
#CommunityVoices
#UnsafeBlackVoice
