A bipartisan bill that could provide Illinoisans needed property tax relief passed unanimously on the floor of the Illinois House of Representatives. Championed by State Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, House Bill 3053 would be a step toward ensuring more education dollars in Illinois are spent on students, teachers and classrooms rather than administration. In Illinois, “general administration” costs total $536 per student, higher than all neighboring states and nearly double the national average. This is due to the state’s overabundance of school districts, which serve far too few students per district when compared with other states. The bill looks to reduce Illinois’ 852 school districts, which account for nearly two-thirds of all property taxes collected statewide. A reduction in school districts would generate savings by decreasing administrative bloat and allowing more education dollars to reach the classroom. The bill would create the School District Efficiency Commission, comprised of 20 education experts from across the state, tasked with making recommendations to reduce the number school districts by at least 25 percent. Those recommendations would then go to local voters’ ballots in November 2020. One hundred and nine lawmakers voted in favor of the bill with none opposed. It now moves to the Senate with state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, carrying it to a vote.