July 22, 2010

To the Honorable Members of the

Illinois House of Representatives,

96^th General Assembly

I hereby return House Bill 5813 with a specific recommendation for change.

I commend the sponsors of this bill for their hard work.  This legislation contains measures intended to prevent abuses to the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral program and to assure the solvency of the Senior Citizens Deferred Tax Revolving Fund.  Specifically, this bill (1) increases the maximum deferrable income to $55,000 beginning in tax year 2011, (2) eliminates land held in trust from qualifying for the deferral, (3) caps the deferral at $5,000 per tax year, and (4) allows the Department to withhold payments from the Fund to a county when that county’s collector and recorder allow a transfer to occur contrary to an existing provision of the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act.

The program established by the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act is a successful program that will be improved by this bill.  My recommendation for change to House Bill 5813 will ensure that the counties administering the program are not unduly burdened and that the program continues to function in a manner most beneficial to the senior citizens of our State.

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 5813, entitled “AN ACT concerning aging,” with the following specific recommendation for change:

on page 5, by replacing lines 12 through 19 with “subject of a contract of sale.”.

With this change, House Bill 5813 will have my approval.  I respectfully request your concurrence.

Sincerely,

PAT QUINN

Governor