Where Crystal Lakers’ Real Estate Taxes Go

The Crystal Lake Park District has published a pie chart showing where tax dollars paid by property owners in Crystal Lake go.

Take a look:

What Crystal Lake area governments spend of people's real estate tax dollars.

What Crystal Lake area governments spend of people’s real estate tax dollars.

Here’s how much a $7,500 property tax bill goes where?

If one's Crystal Lake property tax bill were $7,500, here is how much each tax district would receive.

If one’s Crystal Lake property tax bill were $7,500, here is how much each tax district would receive.

Here’s what the Crystal Lake Park District highlights in the annual report was just distributed with fall activities:

Highlights from the last year for the Crystal Lake Park District.

Highlights from the last year for the Crystal Lake Park District.


Comments

Where Crystal Lakers’ Real Estate Taxes Go — 8 Comments

  1. So the takeaway is “expect a tax increase, but it shouldn’t be a problem for you because it’s such a small part of your tax bill”, right?

    Just a cup of coffee a month (or some other minimalist analogy that will be made to help us rationalize the extent of our greed) will be offered, which of course is relative to what kind of coffee you drink… I make my coffee at home usually, so perhaps a tax increase wouldn’t have much impact on my caffeine habits.

    But like most of you, coffee is not the highest concern that I have.

    Above the coffee there are a mountain of other things that people are worried about- paying for housing, feeding our families, clothing, healthcare and about one thousand other things stand in front of that cup o joe.

    Would I give up coffee to make sure these concerns are addressed, hell yeah, but if we are going to have to give up that cup of coffee, I’ll need a better reason than, “Hey it’s not so bad…” and a polite pat on the head.

  2. Don’t forget the NEW $30,000,000 library
    Crystal Lake wants to build, folks.

  3. “Don’t forget the NEW $30,000,000 library. Crystal Lake wants to build, folks.”

    Why the outrage now?

    Haven’t you seen the CL Library’s budget.

    They spend $2.9 million a year on salaries.

    Let that sink in for a second.

    The salary budget of the library is 1/3 of what we pay for police salaries.

    The pigs we employ at this “community gem” have been ripping us off for the equivalent of the $30 million palace every decade.

  4. With this kinda doe they are getting from us as being the highest tax payers in IL, We should be #1 Cleanest Lake around not #5!

    and 17 facilities did you ever hear of DOWNSIZING !

  5. The Crystal Lake library is part of the City of Crystal Lake taxing district which has underfunded police and fire pensions.

    +++++++

    The Conservation District is technically part of the County taxing district, but in the illustration above it is separate.

    ++++++

    Jack Franks says he’s running as County Board Chair to cut property taxes 10%.

    County $675 + MCCD $150 = $825.

    $825 x .1 = $82.50.

    So that tax bill would be cut $82.50 if the County Board approves Jack Franks’ plan.

    Of course Mr. Franks himself can’t cut county property taxes 10%.

    Mr. Franks can’t even vote on such a cut, because the County Board Chair has no voting rights.

    If a majority of the County Board agrees to his plan, which he refuses to reveal until after the election, then county taxes would be cut $82.50 on that property.

    +++++++

    The boards of other taxing district would have to agree to cut those taxes 10%.

    What school district in Illinois will agree to a 10% tax cut?

    What would the Jack Franks plan cut from school districts?

    Sports?

    Drivers education?

    Extra-curricular activities?

    Fine arts?

    Defer building maintenance?

    Collective bargaining agreements can’t be cut unilaterally, both sides have to agree.

    Which union local will agree to a 10% cut in their collective bargaining agreement?

    Jack Franks 10% tax cut for every taxing district in McHenry County is a campaign gimmick that has no chance of coming to reality.

  6. That is interesting

    In the 2016 / 2017 Budget on the City website:

    Police Department Total Personnel Services is $8,706,635.

    The Total Police Department Budget is $10,660,603.

    The Library Total Personnel Services is $2,902,000.

    The Library Total Expenditures are $4,128,219.

    ++++++++

    No idea how that compares to other police departments, library component units, and library taxing districts.

    ++++++++

    Most full time City of Crystal Lake employees other than police and fire are under the IMRF pension fund.

    IMRF has less lucrative benefits but is better funded due to the language in the state law.

    The pension line items on property tax bills are all for IMRF pensions.

  7. 17 properties they pay no tax on!if they are going to run the park dist. like a business they should pay like everyone else then maybe they will watch how they spend!

  8. Public sector unions present in the above taxing districts:

    Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 (CCSD 47):
    – Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers’ Association (CLETA), IEA/NEA
    – Crystal Lake Association of Support Staff (CLASS), IEA-NEA
    – SEIU Local 73, Custodial and Maintenance
    – Teamsters Local 731 – Joint Council 25 – Joint Agreement (TJA)

    Crystal Lake High School District 155 (CHSD 155):
    – High School District 155 Education Association, IEA-NEA
    – Community High Education Support Staff (CHESS), IEA-NEA
    – Teamsters Local 731 (Bus Drivers)

    City of Crystal Lake, includes Park District
    – IAFF Local 3926 (Fire)
    – IUOE Local 150 (Public Works)
    – MAP Chapter 177 (Police)

    McHenry County, includes Conservation District
    – SEIU Local 73 Municipal / School District division, McHenry County Coroners Office
    – FOP Unit 1 – Deputies in Sheriff’s Office
    – FOP Unit 2 – Corrections
    – FOP Unit 3 – Civilians in Sheriff’s Office
    – IUOE Local 150 – Division of Transportation
    – IUOE Local 150 – Building Department – Facilities Maintenance
    – MAP Chapter 515 – Circuit Clerk Office Employees
    – SEIU Local 73 – Animal Control & Kennel Techs
    – FOP – Conservation District Police
    – IUOE Local 150 – Conservation District Land & Facilities

    McHenry County College
    – McHenry County College Faculty Association, IEA-NEA
    – McHenry County College Staff Council, McHenry County Federation of Teachers Local 1642, IFT/AFT, AFL/CIO
    – McHenry County College Adjunct Faculty Association, IEA-NEA

    Algonquin Township
    – none?

    ++++++++++++++++++++

    Grand total:
    – 6 taxing districts
    – 23 union locals (bargaining units)

    ++++++++

    Abbreviations:
    IEA = Illinois Education Association (statewide teacher union)

    NEA = National Education Association (national teacher union)

    TJA = Teamsters Joint Agreement (umbrella organization)

    SEIU = Service Employees International Union

    IAFF = International Association of Firefighters

    IUOE = International Union of Operating Engineers

    MAP = Metropolitan Alliance of Police

    FOP = Fraternal Order of Police

    IFT = Illinois Federation of Teachers (statewide teacher union)

    AFT = American Federation of Teachers (national teacher union)

    AFL-CIO = American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (umbrella organization)

    ++++++++

    An umbrella organization provides organizational functions and lobbying power.

    +++++++

    Jack Franks, Democrat County Board Chair candidate v Republican Mike Walkup, is a friend of organized labor.

    Many labor unions contribute to his political campaigns.

    His Cut 10 proposal for all McHenry County taxing districts to cut their property taxes 10% is counter to the unions goal of lobbying for more money for government for more pay and benefits.

    Labor costs are typically the largest cost in government.

    Another reason why Cut 10 is an election gimmick that has no chance of succeeding its stated goal of cutting property taxes of all taxing districts in McHenry County by 10%.

    The County portion of a property tax bill varies considerably depending if the property falls in an incorporated or unincorporated area, but 10% is probably a generous estimate countywide

    10% of 10% is 1%.

    Thus Cut 10 becomes Cut 1.

    If it succeeds at the County level, which is the level at which Jack Franks and Mike Walkup are running, the County portion of the property tax bill 1%.

    Mike Walkup has tax savings idea for the County too.

    He just does not make the ridiculous claim that he’s running for County Board Chair to cut property taxes in other taxing districts.

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