Cities and Villages Seek to Merge Local Police and Fire Pension Funds

From the Illinois News Network: As costs grow, cities push to consolidate hundreds of local public safety pension funds By Brett Rowland | Illinois News Network City leaders want to consolidate hundreds of local pension funds for police officers and … Continue reading

Firefighter Pensions

A Friend of McHenry County Blog tallied the following pension information for firefighters from the Illinois State Comptroller’s web site: In 2007 there were 3,753 retired firefighters and 9,039 active firefighters. In 2016 there were 5,069 retired firefighters and 9,160 … Continue reading

Algonquin-LITH Fire Protection District Chief Makes Daily Herald List of Chiefs Drawing Pension While Earning Salary Running Different Department

It is not uncommon for police officers and firefighters to get jobs after retirement. In my Village of Lakewood, experienced police officers have been hired that the village otherwise could not have afforded. When the Village Board concluded that the … Continue reading

Fire Protection Districts Effect of 2018 Property Taxes

Here are the statistics on how Fire Protection Districts had on McHenry County tax bills: Fire Protection Districts                           Alg-LITH FPD $7,821,097 $8,702,042 11.3%   $8,886,661 2.1% Barrington … Continue reading

Fire Protection Districts Are McHenry County’s Tax Increase Leaders

McHenry County Levy Increases Outpace Municipalities In a previous McHenry County Blog articles Comparing McHenry County Property Tax 2002 Versus 2016 it was discovered that while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased 33.8% from 2002 to 2016, most McHenry … Continue reading

Comparing Fire District Tax 2002 Versus 2016-Part 3

Fire District Property Taxes Increased Over 96% A friend of McHenry County Blog compiled the information explaining McHenry County Taxes in correlation to the Consumer Price Index. Today McHenry County Blog is revealing numbers for Fire Districts Part 1 on … Continue reading

Governor Vetoes Non-Referendum Annexation Power for Fire Protection Districts

In years past the Village of Lakewood was provided fire protection services by the Woodstock Fire Protection District. At that time, if Lakewood residents passed a referendum, its properties could have been annexed to the Woodstock FPD. This past legislative … Continue reading

McHenry County Taxpayers Owe Over $130 Million for Underfunded Police and Fire Pensions…as of Two Years Ago

Commenter Mark has laid out all of the municipal police and fire pension fund money owed by McHenry County taxpayers. Let’s review police and fire pension funding status in McHenry County. Remember, Jack Franks says he has a plan to … Continue reading

Which Types of Tax Districts Taking More, Which Less

Ups and downs. That describes what McHenry County taxpayers will see in this year’s real estate tax bills. As reported Saturday, county government provided significant savings by zeroing out last year’s $3 million Valley Hi Nursing Home tax levy.  (If … Continue reading

Rauner Out to Make FPD Consolidation Easier

Below is an amendatory veto from Governor Bruce Rauner: Veto Message for HB 219 To the Honorable Members of The Illinois House of Representatives, 99th General Assembly: Today I return House Bill 219 with a specific recommendation for change. Current … Continue reading

Five-Year Tax Hike for Schools 12.75%

Reader “Connecting Dots” inserted this property tax information in a comment under the article, “McSweeney Introduces Eleven Bills.” There are comments on more than one of the bills, but with regard to McSweeney’s House Bill 178 to freeze township extensions … Continue reading

Second Message from Fire Chiefs Supports New Zoning Ordinance

The following letter was sent to the McHenry County Board: October 21, 2014 TO: James Heisler Peter Austin FROM: Chief Rich Tobiasz RE: UDO The McHenry County Fire Chief’s Association created a committee to review issues and questions, posed to us, … Continue reading

Most Tax Rates for McHenry County’s Upcoming Tax Bills – Up 15% in Algonquin Township Part of Lakewood

Here’s what it looks like for my Algonquin Township part of Lakewood: MCHENRY COUNTY – $1.00 per $100 of assessed valuation (up from 79 cents per $100 – this must include the 708 Board Mental Health tax) MCHENRY CO CONSV … Continue reading

Seven McHenry County Fire Departments Help Put Out Massive Burlington Egg Processing Plant Fire

When I heard that Illinois fire departments were helping put out the fire in Burlington, Wisconsin, I figured some would be from our area.  (Here’s the Chicago Tribune article.) Burlington is one of the places where my father used to … Continue reading

Crystal Lake Rural & Richmond Protection District’s Rate Capped, FRG Hits Limit Next Year

Some of McHenry County’s Fire Protection Districts are at the maximum rate allowed by law. Fox River Grove’s Fire Protection District is close. It will only be allowed a 2.3% increase next year, instead of the 3% the Property Tax … Continue reading

Municipalities Cut Tax Take! Fire Protection Districts Cut Even More! Libraries, Sanitary Districts Flat

Real estate tax bills being sent out in McHenry County this year will total $783,689,437.41 this spring. That compares with $773,325,977.50 a year ago. That’s an increase of 1.34%, which those with good memories will recall is less than the … Continue reading