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State Rep. Joyce Mason tells Zion council Clean Energy Jobs Act was crafted to deliver property-tax relief
Summary
State Rep. Joyce Mason spoke at the Zion City Council meeting to explain legislative intent behind a Clean Energy Jobs Act provision she authored, saying the law is intended to deliver property-tax relief to Zion and additional funding for local taxing bodies; she urged residents to use public forums for questions.
State Rep. Joyce Mason, who said she helped draft the relevant language in the Clean Energy Jobs Act, told the Zion City Council on June 18 that the statute was written specifically to provide property-tax relief to the city and to send additional funds to local taxing districts.
"The legislative intent from day one was . . . to provide substantial property tax relief to the people of our community," Mason said, adding that the law also directed additional funding to schools, police, fire, townships, parks and libraries. Mason said the provision was negotiated with local leaders, including Zion officials.
Mason said the funding amount projected for the community is "almost $15 million a year" and that the plan to provide property-tax relief was public from the outset. She cautioned residents that allocation decisions are set at the state level and "it is up to the state legislature and no one else to determine where this money will be allocated." She added bluntly, "Anyone who tells you differently is simply not being honest with you." (State Rep. Joyce Mason)
Mason introduced Andrea Hall, a staff member she said will help with community outreach and neighborhood office hours. Mason also offered to meet with school-board officials to clarify the statute's intent; Council members asked that a copy of her statement be included in the meeting minutes.
Why it matters: Mason framed the law as both a climate and community-recovery measure tied to decommissioning of a local power plant. Her remarks were meant to reassure residents and local taxing bodies that the legislature intended direct relief for Zion and to rebuff recent local media coverage the council described as misleading.
What happened next: Council members thanked Mason and requested her statement be added to the record. Several commissioners referenced the statute when discussing future tax notices and local outreach; no formal municipal action was required at the meeting on the state funding itself.
The next step: Mason said she would meet with stakeholders who request further detail and continue public outreach. Council members said they will provide her statement to the clerk for inclusion in the minutes.
