The rising cost of living, a looming property tax increase and soaring electric costs were among the economic security concerns a group of residents shared with policy advocates and lawmakers this week at a forum in Evanston.
The event, hosted by Economic Security Illinois and attended by a group of about 20 Evanston residents to talk about affordability, took place Wednesday evening at the Trade Collective on Greenwood.
ESI invited lawmakers, including State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) and House Majority Leader Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) to hear from the residents before they head back to Springfield in the coming weeks.
Among the residents’ concerns was soaring electric costs in Illinois, with several residents naming it their top concern over the past few months.
In Illinois, massive data centers appear largely to blame for rising electricity costs, as demand for electricity skyrockets, equal to that of nuclear power plants in the state.
Democrats are preparing to introduce a massive 800-page energy reform bill during next week’s veto session, aimed at addressing the high utility costs by requiring “all electric cooperatives with members in the state, municipal power agencies, and municipalities” to create a plan that outlines how they will decrease energy costs and environmental impacts.
The bill also introduces guidelines for “Virtual Power Plants,” or a network of smaller private solar and wind energy storage batteries with the public grid.
“The reason that the price went up because at the last auction there was a much higher price for electricity,” Gabel said. “Our bill really plans to really increase the supply, to build build build, wind, solar, geothermal, everything we can do.”
Gabel said she hopes lawmakers can “get it done now” to get ahead of potential cuts to federal funding for green energy.
“I think there’s urgency,” Gabel said.
Sarah Saheb, director of ESI, led the roundtable discussion with residents about affordability and said residents were identified by partnership organizations for the talk.
“There are a lot of people in the middle who aren’t getting [economic] relief,” Saheb said.
One of the other top concerns was Evanston’s proposed property tax hike, one that one resident said may be the “final nail in the coffin” that could force people “out of Evanston.”
City Manager Luke Stowe released the proposed 2026 budget Monday. It calls for a 13.7% hike in the city’s property tax levy, the first significant increase in years.
The hike, along with the library’s proposed levy increase, will raise overall property tax bills by about 2.4%. The budge
This upcoming Monday, the City Council will review the budget for the first time with a Finance and Budget Committee session scheduled for Oct. 14.
The target date for City Council adoption of the budget is just before Thanksgiving.