Algonquin Township Assessor Bob Kunz Explains Role of Assessments

Algonquin Township Assessor Bob Kunz, in his last term, having taken office in the mid-1970’s, comments on Realtor Terry Pounds commentary:

Bob Kunz

1) most people in McHenry County are not under assessed, as the equalization process corrects for that potential.

2) the assessed value is an allocator, not a generator, of total tax collections.

It does not generate an extra dollar of total taxes collected, as it does not function like a sales tax.

If this is hard to understand, ask yourself: during the real estate disaster of 2008 and thereafter, while assessments decreased year after year, did property taxes go up or down?

3) freezing tax rates would increase taxes in an up-trending market, which characterizes the present market.


Comments

Algonquin Township Assessor Bob Kunz Explains Role of Assessments — 13 Comments

  1. The Assessor can affect my share of the taxes based on how he / she values my property.

  2. There is always a part of the deal that is subjective.

    A local income tax would be better, income pays the bills not the money pits we live in.

  3. Re: “A local income tax would be better,”

    Now that you are retired?

    Or, are you supporting income tax on retirement income?

  4. “Nob” Did not answer the question.

    Your “duh!” is insulting.

    The question is do you support taxing retirement income?

  5. Sorry misunderstood what you were asking friend.

    I support replacing property taxes with a local income tax.

    If all retirement incomes are to be taxed state wide, mine would be also.

    A better deal would be a reduction in the pension plans by like 5%, which I’d support.

    That would beenfit the outlook of the pension funds much better than taxation which goes into the general fund and gets lost on some pork project.

    Questioning ask Cal the same question and see what answer you’ll get.

  6. Correct me if I’m wrong. In this blog several weeks ago a list was published about the accuracy of the assessment in each township in McHenry County.

    I recollect that 19% of the assessment in Algonquin Township were not accurate.

    When I was employed an error of that magnitude would get me terminated.

    Yet this is business as usual.

    Pathetic.

  7. Posted on 2/13/2017 on this Blog: The correct Number for COD(margin of error) for Algonquin Township is 16.21 vs total McHenry County COD(margin of error) of 18.10.

    Think of that the next time you look at your tax bill.

  8. Cook County Illinois Suffers Largest Population Drop In Entire US

    Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com

    Illinois voters are voting with their feet. Not only are people scrambling to get out of Cook County, but the entire state is suffering.

    Illinois Policy Institute writer Michael Lucci explains in this guest post on Cook County Migration.

    Cook County has Largest Population Loss of Any County in U.S.
    Cook County lost more population than any other county in the United States from July 2015 to July 2016, according to a new data release from the U.S. Census Bureau.

    Cook County shrank by 21,324 people. The county had more births than deaths and gained 18,434 people from international immigration. However, Cook County had a net loss of 66,244 people to other parts of the United States, which more than offset the components of population growth.

    However, the people leaving Cook County aren’t showing up in other parts of Illinois when the net movements of people are considered.

    In fact, most of Illinois is depopulating – 93 of Illinois’ 102 counties are experiencing net out-migration, and 89 of Illinois’ 102 counties have shrinking populations. Illinois’ dysfunctional government, weak job creation, and ever-increasing tax burden help explain why. A Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll released in October 2016 found that taxes were the No. 1 reason people want to leave Illinois.

    Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, Will counties see net out-migration to other parts of the U.S.
    The major driver of Cook County’s shrinking population is that the county’s domestic migration losses have doubled over the last five years, while international gains have remained flat and gains from more births than deaths have declined.

    The flow of people out of Cook County did not result in net in-migration for the collar counties. Cook County’s net out-migration of 66,244 people was followed by net out-migration of 9,171 people from DuPage; 5,179 from Lake; 1,824 from Kane; 1,589 from McHenry; and 1,253 from Will. Kendall County is the nearest to Cook to have net inflows, with Kendall gaining 553 more people than it lost to other parts of the country.

    The out-migration from Cook, DuPage, Lake and McHenry counties was large enough to make all those counties shrink in total population. Kane County and Will County managed to have population gains despite their out-migration problems.

    It should worry policymakers in Chicago and Cook County that out-migration and population loss were already so strong in the July 2015 – July 2016 timeframe. That’s because Chicago and Cook County’s major property and sales tax hikes had not yet taken effect at the time of this out-migration. When those tax hikes are in place, the Chicago area will likely lose more population due to taxation. And the economic effects of increased taxation will be felt a few years later, with fewer jobs and economic growth than would have occurred without the tax hikes. Population loss in the Chicago area is likely to get worse.

    Not just the collar counties: All of Illinois is seeing population losses
    The problem is not just with Cook and the collar counties: The majority of Illinois counties are shrinking. Eighty-nine of Illinois’ 102 counties are shrinking in total population. Northeast Illinois is shrinking most in terms of total population, but many downstate counties are shrinking and seeing more out-migration as a percentage of population. For example, Rock Island and Peoria counties both have more out-migration as a percentage of population than Cook County.

    Most of Illinois’ metropolitan statistical areas are also shrinking due to large migration losses to other parts of the country, with only Elgin and Champaign showing slow population growth. The Chicago metro division saw a net migration loss of nearly 78,000 people, driving a population decline of more than 19,000 people for the Chicago metro division.

    Elgin had net migration losses to other parts of the country. However, Elgin’s population growth is attributable to an unusually high birth rate and a solid gain of international immigrants. Champaign similarly relies on international immigration to avoid a shrinking population size. Champaign showed a large gain from international immigration, likely a flow of international students to the University of Illinois.

    The U.S. Census Bureau’s report does not come as a surprise, but it should serve as a warning to state and local governments. Illinois is depopulating, and no area is immune from its effects. Downstate communities are especially stressed due to the loss of manufacturing jobs and other blue-collar industries. And the Chicago area is likely to face additional stress as nearly $2 billion dollars in tax hikes are phased in over the next few years.

    Lawmakers can take on two key measures to give taxpayers hope. The first is to freeze property taxes statewide so Illinoisans can feel secure in their homes. The second is to pass a balanced budget without any tax increases to give residents confidence that lawmakers can rein in out-of-control spending and not repeatedly hit up taxpayers for more of their hard-earned dollars.

    Before considering any more tax increases, policymakers statewide should consider the sobering reality of how quickly people are leaving the state.

    People keep asking “When are you leaving?” Rest assured plans are in progress and have been for some time.

    But some people are stuck here. Others want to be here for personal reasons even though they are fed up with the state of affairs.

  9. Freeze the property tax LEVIES, not the tax rates or tax assessments, THAT’s the only way to stop the upward spiral…

  10. Unfortunately if we “Freeze the property tax LEVIES, not the tax rates or tax assessments, “, the political forces in our State will simply find new sources of revenue such as the one suggested by “Nob”: Tax retirement income.

    With the looming threat of taxing retirement income, would you want to invest in real estate in Del Webb?

    It already appears that the Dems and Reps in Springfield are ready to start taxation of more “services”.

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