McHenry County Tax District Honor Role

Let’s put the Villages of Greenwood and Trout Valley on top, because they levy no property taxes.

While most local governments in McHenry County increased the amount they are taking from the public, a limited number asked for less money in the coming tax bills than they requested last year.

In some cases, it was just pennies.

In other words, the governments tried to get the same amount as last year, but probably through rounding managed to get a bit less.

Others made an effort to make more significant cuts.

Still others tried to get the same amount, but, again, probably because of rounding, got a tiny bit more.  They are not listed below.

The problem is that not many of those on the Honor Role get much tax money.

Property owners will be taxed $797 million this year.

Residential property owners will pay most of it–$640 million.

The bulk of local taxes go to school districts.

$499 million will go for kindergarten through 12th grade education.

There only four of them who are taking less money this year than they did last year.

Another $32 million will go to community colleges.

$93 million will be funneled to special districts, as follows:

  • Fire Protection Districts – $41.1 million
  • Townships – $26 million
  • Conservation District – $19.6 million
  • Library Districts – $16.1 million
  • Park Districts – $15.6 million
  • Miscellaneous Districts – $698,000
  • Sanitary Districts – $672.000
  • Cemetery Districts – $44,000

Almost $67 million will flow to municipalities.  Of that total, municipal Tax Increment Financing Districts will receive $2.3 million.  In reality, all of the TIF money is paid by property owners outside of the TIF districts when their local tax districts raise their levies in order to make up for the money that is diverted for cities and villages to spend as they will within those districts.

State law allowed all but non-Home Rule municipalities to increase their “tax take” by 3% this year. That was the increase in the cost of living as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

There is not limit on tax increases for Home Rule municipalities.  In McHenry County, they are Algonquin, Barrington Hills, Crystal Lake and McHenry.

Cartoonist Frank Higgins of the Chicago Sun-Times used this imagery yesterday in a cartoon.

Cartoonist Frank Higgins of the Chicago Sun-Times used this imagery yesterday in a cartoon.

Only the tax districts that actually cut taxes–even if by the smallest amount–are on the list.

The following districts will get less money in 2012 than they got in 2011:

Junior Colleges

  • Rock Valley College

School Districts

  • Nippersink (Richmond & Spring Grove) Grade School District
  • Prairie Grove Grade School District
  • Richmond-Burton High School District
  • Harvard Unit School District

Cities and Villages

  • Village of Algonquin
  • Village of Barrington Hills
  • City of Crystal Lake (excluding fire protection, net is up)
  • City of Harvard
  • Village of Huntley
  • Village of Lake in the Hills
  • Village of McCullom Lake
  • City of McHenry
  • Village of Prairie Grove
  • City of Woodstock

Fire Protection & Rescue Squad Districts

  • Crystal Lake Rural Fire Protection District
  • Fox River Grove Fire Protection District
  • Marengo Rescue Squad
  • McHenry Fire Protection District
  • Richmond Fire Protection District

Library Districts

  • McHenry Library District
  • Marengo Park District

Township Governments

  • Algonquin Township Road & Bridge District
  • Chemung Township Road & Bridge District
  • Coral Township
  • Dunham Township
  • Hartland Township
  • Hartland Township Road & Bridge District
  • Hebron Township Road & Bridge District
  • Marengo Township
  • Nunda Township Road & Bridge District
  • Seneca Township
  • Seneca Township Road & Bridge District

Sanitary Districts

  • Northern Moraine Water Reclamation District

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Other articles about the real estate tax bills that will be paid in 2013:


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