State Rep. David McSweeney is proposing at amendment to Senate Bill 1937 that would prohibit township governments throughout Illinois from increasing the amount of money they extract from taxpayers’ pockets for the next two years.

Unlike some legislators and local officials who try to tinker with property taxes, McSweeney knows the key word is “extension.”

The “extension” is the amount of money that a tax district is allowed to collect in a given year. It is usually well below the levy, which can be seen as a “wish-fulfillment.”

For example, McHenry County College increased its levy by nine percent, giving it bad publicity in the Northwest Herald, but having no impact on the Property Tax Cap-imposed limit of three percent (plus new growth).

Just as an aside, any tax district official that wants to cut taxes should vote to make his or her tax levy the same as the extension for the year before.

In any event, McSweeney is probably on a mission impossible, because there are thousands of townships in Illinois.

Plus, the record of what is happening to the bill show that his amendment has been assigned to the House Rules Committee, the place legislation where House Speaker Mike Madigan kills amendments he doesn’t like.

David From, State Director of the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity, informed me of this amendment via the following email:

“I’m writing to ask you to take just a moment of your time to support legislation to place a two-year moratorium on the property taxes levied by townships. The legislation sponsored by State Representative David McSweeney (R-Cary) will be the subject of a committee hearing tomorrow morning in House Revenue Committee. We need to let committee members know that we support this common-sense moratorium on higher local taxes.

“Please take a moment to submit an electronic witness slip in favor of SB 1937 today!

“Illinois faces a dual problem when it comes to property taxes; they’re rising fast while Illinois’ median household income is dropping. In the four most recent years for which census data is available, Illinois median household income dropped by more than $3,000. At the same time, the suburban Daily Herald reported in November that “property tax levies were up nearly $4.8 billion” between 2005 – 2010.

“Click here to file an electric witness slip with the committee on behalf of Rep. McSweeney’s efforts to curb the increase of property taxes! Be sure to check “Proponent” in Section III (Position) & “Record of Appearance Only” in Section IV (Testimony).”

McHenry County has seventeen townships. Each township has two separate governments.  One is run by the Supervisor; the other by the Highway Commissioner.

The following made a good faith effort not to take every dime that they could. I put them on my “Honor Roll.”

ALDEN TOWNSHIP
2011 – $138,551.71
2012 – $125,589.92 (-9.4%)

ALGONQUIN TOWNSHIP
2011 – $1,812,281.41
2012 – $1,818,540.52 (+0.3%)

ALGONQUIN TOWNSHIP ROAD & BRIDGE DISTRICT
2011 – $3,989,082.24
2012 – $3,989,081.94

HARTLAND TOWNSHIP
2011 – $177,096.32
2012 – $168,120.44 (-5.1%)

HARTLAND TOWWSHIP ROAD & BRIDGE DISTRICT
2011 – $257,147.74
2012 – $249,843.80 (-2.8%)

HEBRON TOWNSHIP ROAD & BRIDGE DISTRICT
2011 – $223,260.02
2012 – $218,264.61 (-2.2%)

MARENGO TOWNSHIP
2011 – $303,002.43
2012 – $299,000.30 (-1.3%)

MARENGO TONSHIWP ROAD & BRIDGE DISTRICT
2011 – $496,211.57
2012 – $496,964.36 (-0.2%)

McHENRY TOWNSHIP
2011 – $1,876,425.79
2012 – $1,876,437.35

McHENRY TOWNSHIP ROAD & BRIDGE DISTRICT
2011 – $3,406,895.19
2012 – $3,406,912.40

NUNDA TOWNSHIP
2011 – $1,125,172.20
2012 – $1,125,172.20 (+0.3%)

NUNDA TOWNSHIP ROAD & BRIDGE DISTRICT
2011 – $3,332,592.47
2012 – $3,332,591.92

RICHMOND TOWNSHIP
2011 – $258,886.96
2012 – $262,771.67 (+1.2%)

SENECA TOWNSHIP
2011 – $172,300.92
2012 – $168,000.60 (-2.5%)

SENECA TOWNSHIP ROAD & BRIDGE DISTRICT
2011 – $266,055.92
2012 – $266,053.68

But let’s put the role of township government in perspective.  Below is what each type of government has billed (extended) this year:

• Schools – $499 million (Only four districts are taking less money this year than they did last year.)

All the rest take $93 million will be funneled to special districts, as follows:

• 

  Huntley Village Hall

  Municipalities – Almost $67 million (municipal Tax Increment Financing Districts will receive $2.3 million more)

• Fire Protection Districts – $41.1 million
• Community Colleges – $32 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

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

• Most Tax Rates for McHenry County’s Upcoming Tax Bills – Up 15% in Algonquin Township Part of Lakewood
• McHenry County Multiplier Increases Assessments 1.0243 for This Year’s Tax Bills, $1 Billion Assessment Loss Sends Tax Rates Soaring
• Property Tax Rates – Comparing This Coming Year’s to Last Year’s
• McHenry County Tax District Honor Role
• The McHenry County Taxman Cometh – Tax Bills on the Internet