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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Due to the complexity of the Property Tax Code, 
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there is a wide disparity in the methods by which county and 
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township assessment officials have assessed wooded land in the 
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State; and 
 
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    WHEREAS, This is a pressing problem requiring the urgent 
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attention of the General Assembly, the Governor, and other 
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State and local officials; therefore, be it
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Wooded Land Assessment Task 
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Force is created concerning the assessment of wooded land and 
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property under forestry management programs; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the task force shall consist of 12 voting 
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members as
follows:
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        (1) 4 members of the General Assembly appointed, one

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    each, by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader

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    of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,

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    and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
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        (2) one member appointed by the Governor;
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        (3) the Director of Revenue or his or her designee, who 
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    shall serve as chair of the task force;
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        (4) the Director of Natural Resources or his or her

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    designee;
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        (5) the Director of Agriculture or his or her designee;
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        (6) one member appointed by the University of Illinois;
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        (7) one member appointed by Southern Illinois 
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    University;
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        (6) one member, appointed by the Governor, who serves 
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    or has served as a county or township assessment official; 
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    and
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        (7) one member, appointed by the Governor,  who has 
 


 






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    knowledge of farming and agricultural practices; and be it 
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    further
 
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    RESOLVED, That the Department of Revenue shall provide 
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staff and administrative
support services to the task force; 
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and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That task force members shall serve without 
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compensation,
but may be reimbursed for their reasonable travel 
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expenses from
funds available for that purpose; and be it 
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further
 
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    RESOLVED, That the task force shall gather information and 
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make
recommendations to the Governor and to the General 
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Assembly
regarding procedures and policies for:
(1) the 
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assessment of wooded land; and
(ii) the assessment of property 
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under a certified
forestry management program under Section 
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10-50 of the Property Tax Code; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That the task force must submit a report to the 
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Governor and
the General Assembly by December 31, 2006 
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concerning its findings
and recommendations; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That if, during the 2005 taxable year, any parcel 
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of wooded land was valued based upon its productivity index 
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equalized assessed value as cropland, then we urge the 
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Department of Revenue to accept any similar valuation of that 
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wooded land for the 2006 and 2007 taxable years; and be it 
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further
 
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    RESOLVED, That, for the purpose of this Resolution, "wooded 
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land" means
any parcel of unimproved real property that: (i) 
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does not
qualify as cropland, permanent pasture, other 
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farmland, or
wasteland under Section 10-125 of the Property Tax 
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Code; and (ii) is not managed under a
forestry management plan 
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and considered to be other farmland
under Section 10-150 of the 
 


 






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Property Tax Code; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be delivered to 
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the Governor, the  Director of Revenue, the Director of Natural 
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Resources, the Director of Agriculture, the President of the 
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University of Illinois, and the President of Southern Illinois 
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University.