Residential v. Commercial

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon is the nursing home industry’s bought politician to resurrect a bill that would provide millions of dollars in tax breaks. The proposed legislation aims to reclassify private, for-profit nursing homes as residential properties instead of commercial, which would reduce their property taxes by millions of dollars.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported significant campaign contributions from the Health Care Council of Illinois, an industry trade group representing nursing home interests.  The group has donated more than $2 million to Harmon’s political accounts, including $700,000 in the past year.

The health care group is lobbying to override a veto because the tax relief could save them approximately $50 million annually.