093_SC0020
LRB093 10982 LRD 11595 e
1 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
3 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
4 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
5 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be
6 submitted to the electors of the State for adoption or
7 rejection at the general election next occurring at least 6
8 months after the adoption of this resolution a proposition to
9 amend Section 1 of Article X of the Illinois Constitution as
10 follows:
11 (ILCON Art. X, Sec. 1)
12 SECTION 1. GOAL - FREE SCHOOLS
13 (a) A fundamental goal of the People of the State is the
14 educational development of all persons to the limits of their
15 capacities.
16 The State shall provide for an efficient system of high
17 quality public educational institutions and services.
18 Education in public schools through the secondary level shall
19 be free. There may be such other free education as the
20 General Assembly provides by law.
21 The State has the primary responsibility for financing
22 the system of public education.
23 (b) The People of the State of Illinois recognize that
24 excessive reliance on real property taxation for financing
25 the system of public education has impeded the fundamental
26 goal of education. The official policy of the State shall be
27 to reduce taxes on owner-occupied residential real property
28 and to improve education by establishing the Education and
29 Permanent Property Tax Relief Trust Fund in this Article.
30 Beginning on January 1 of the year following adoption of
31 this Constitutional Amendment by the People, a surtax on or
32 measured by income at a rate of 3% shall be levied annually
33 on that portion of the income of individuals that exceeds
-2- LRB093 10982 LRD 11595 e
1 $250,000. All receipts shall be deposited into the Education
2 and Permanent Property Tax Relief Trust Fund. The corporate
3 rate limitation ratio set forth in subsection (a) of Section
4 3 of Article IX shall remain in effect and be measured by the
5 non-graduated rate authorized in Section 3 of Article IX.
6 Interest earned on the Education and Permanent Property Tax
7 Relief Trust Fund shall be allocated to the Trust Fund.
8 On July 1 of each year, 50% of the public funds in the
9 Education and Permanent Property Tax Relief Trust Fund shall
10 be distributed in equal amounts to every taxpayer who is an
11 owner-occupier of residential real property in the State and
12 the other 50% of the public funds in the Trust Fund shall be
13 distributed equally on a per student basis to improve
14 education in public schools through the secondary level.
15 The General Assembly shall provide by law for the
16 implementation of the public policy set forth in this
17 subsection (b). Every distribution from the Education and
18 Permanent Property Tax Relief Trust Fund shall include the
19 name of each elected officer of the Executive Branch and the
20 following statement: "Adopted by constitutional amendment by
21 the People of the State of Illinois.".
22 (Source: Illinois Constitution.)
23 SCHEDULE
24 This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
25 declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
26 Constitutional Amendment Act.