McHenry County Blog

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

A press release from the Huntley Area Tea Party:

Property Tax Action Group Addresses Huntley Area Tea Party over Lunch

At Huntley Area Tea Party, May is “Action” month.

We begin with a lunch gathering at 12:30 pm* on Wednesday, May 8 at Golden Corral – 1591 S Randall Rd, Algonquin, IL.

The “Action” comes from PTAG – Property Tax Action Group – and Alan Scott who will tell us about PTAG, their activities and major goals to

1. keep our property taxes down and
2. seek equity and fairness in our assessments. 

Alan will also talk about the importance of local taxing district meetings and our participation there.

We’ll learn what can be done to help achieve each of those two important goals here.

Mark your calendar and  join us for a relaxing and important lunch, with information and some informal conversation about our property taxes – today and tomorrow.

= = = = =
*The afternoon start brings us a free lunch drink, compliments of Golden Corral. Arrivals before 12:30 will miss this freebie.  Mention “tea party meeting” to the cashier, then bring your chosen meal (and free drink) to the meeting room. Eat, relax and listen to Alan help us all with information we can rely on and apply.

The Beatles’ song seems appropriate for today, the first day when McHenry County Property Tax Bills can be seen on County Treasurer Bill LeFew’s web site.

A taxpayer as seen by the Tax Foundation.[/caption]Look here.
= = = = =
Links to all articles on the McHenry County Real Estate Bills that will arrive in the mailboxes of most people this weekend are

below:

• 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

This has been the week that tax information was posted on the McHenry County Clerk’s web site.

Pretty much anything anyone would be interested is there, but to make it useful for comparison purposes requires quite a bit of work.

The following articles take a look at various aspects of McHenry County tax bills that will soon be mailed. Click on the title to see the contents.

• 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

Take a look at those tax districts that asked for about what they got last year.

The maximum allowed was 3% more than they asked for last year, the inflationary increase as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

You will note that very few are school districts. (Please understand I am eyeballing the numbers, so some listed may not meet your definition of “trying to hold the line.”)

The figures you see are called “extensions.”

They are the amounts that the County Clerk’s Office says are legal for the County Treasurer to collect. They total what taxpayers will see on all the combined bills.

McHenry County Governments

McHENRY COUNTY
2011 – $78,285,064.42
2012 – $78,535,191.18

McHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
2011 – $19,317,898.84
2012 – $19,565,164.91 (+1.1%)

Community Colleges

ELGIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
2011 – $56,792,996.80
2012 – $57,324,251.53 (+1.1%)

ROCK VALLEY COLLEGE
2011 – $28,703,993.09
2012 – $26,525,130.84 (-7.6%)

School Districts

PRAIRIE SCHOOL DIST 46
2011 – $10,019,082.45
2012 – $9,966,782.94 (-0.5%)

RICHMOND-BURTON SCHOOL DIST 157
2011 – $10,871,791.76
2012 – $10,375,229.21 (-4.6%)

HARVARD SCHOOL DIST 50
2011 – $14,801,979.84
2012 – $13,926,259.55 (-5.9%)

HUNTLEY SCHOOL DIST 158
2011 – $61,109,472.87
2012 – $61,581,321.96 (+0.8%)

Cities and Villages

VILLAGE OF ALGONQUIN
2011 – $5,574,999.39
2012 – $5,481,010.56 (-1.7%)

BARRINGTON HILLS
2011 – $6,533,762.62
2012 – $6,492,399.31 (-0.6%)

CITY OF CRYSTAL LAKE
2011 – $3,282,804.82
2012 – $3,274,055.48 (-0.3%)

VILLAGE OF GREENWOOD
2011 – $0
2012 – $0

CITY OF HARVARD
2011 – $2,367,834.50
2012 – $2,359,412.23 (-0.4%)

VILLAGE OF HUNTLEY
2011 – $3,800,002.76
2012 – $3,799,994.39

VILLAGE OF LAKE IN THE HILLS
2011 – $5,560,280.32
2012 – $5,493,550.26 (-1.2%)

CITY OF MARENGO
2011 – $1,405,343.47
2012 – $1,389,495.63 (-1.1%)

VILLAGE OF MCCULLOM LAKE
2011 – $157,892.74
2012 – $157,424.78 (-0.3%)

CITY OF McHENRY
2011 – $4,761,637.73
2012 – $4,761,636.11

VILLAGE OF PRAIRIE GROVE
2011 – $380,002.34
2012 – $370,001.56 (-2.6%)

VILLAGE OF RINGWOOD
2011 – $76,500.08
2012 – $76,500.08 (+1.3%)

VILLAGE OF TROUT VALLEY
2011 – $0
2012 – $0

CITY OF WOODSTOCK
2011 – $9,071,370.52
2012 – $9,001,599.07 (-0.2%)

Fire Protection Districts

BARRINGTON COUNTRYSIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
2011 – $5,441,287.31
2012 – $5,485,596.51 (+0.8%)

CRYSTAL LAKE RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
2011 – $1,632,143.62
2012 – $1,497,067.44 (-8.3%)

FOX RIVER GROVE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
2011 – $1,377,471.22
2012 – $1,271,682.99 (-7.7%)

MARENGO RESCUE SQUAD DISTRICT
2011 – $795,630.09
2012 – $698,078.66 (-12.7%)

McHENRY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
2011 – $6,500,013.45
2012 – $6,500,007.48

RICHMOND FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
2011 – $720,445.21
2012 – $655,128.81 (-9.1%)

WAUCONDA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
2011 – $7,640,043.82
2012 – $7,950,482.86 (+0.2%)

Library Districts

McHENRY LIBRARY DISTRICT
2011 – $3,122,948.63
2012 – $3,122,955.55

Park Districts

CRYSTAL LAKE PARK DISTRICT
2011 – $6,585,006.80
2012 – $6,609,886.38 (+0.4%)

MARENGO PARK DISTRICT
2011 – $509,280.95
2012 – $493,114.64 (-3.2%)

Townships

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

Sanitary Districts

NORTHERN MORAINE WATER RESOURCE (SANITARY) DISTRICT
2011 – $223,727.12
2012 – $190,548.83 (-14.8%)

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.

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

= = = = =

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

Below are some raw statistics from the McHenry County Clerk’s Office concerning real estate tax rates for this year and last.

The tax rates have been rounded to the nearest cent, except for the case of governmental units levying less than 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

What I found interesting is that even tax districts who lowered the amount of money they are asking taxpayers to cough up saw their rates increase.  That’s because assessed valuation plunged.  The totals for the whole county went from $8.8 billion last year to $7.9 billion this year.

Both the Villages of Greenwood and Trout Valley levy no property taxes.

McHENRY COUNTY

Tax Rates for County Government

2011 – $0.89
2012 – $1.00

Assessed Valuation for the Entire County

2011 – $8,817,375,055
2012 – $7,886,571,742

Community College Districts Tax Rates

ELGIN COLLEGE DISTRICT 509
2011 – $0.47
2012 – $0.51

ROCK VALLEY COLLEGE DISTRICT 511
2011 – $0.45+
2012 – $0.45-

HARPER COLLEGE DISTRICT 512
2011 – $0.29
2012 – $0.33

McHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE DISTRICT 528
2011 – $0.34
2012 – $0.39

School District Tax Rates

[Richmond-Burton Grade] SCHOOL DIST 2
2011 – $3.32
2012 – $3.24

[Fox River Grove Grade] SCHOOL DIST 3
2011 – $4.66
2012 – $5.34

[McHenry Grade] SCHOOL DIST 15

2011 – $4.02
2012 – $4.67

[Riley Grade] SCHOOL DIST 18

2011 – $2.93
2012 – $3.36

[Cary Grade] SCHOOL DIST 26

2011 – $3.38
2012 – $3.93

[Wonder Lake Grade] SCHOOL DIST 36
2011 – $5.25
2012 – $5.93

[Prairie Grove Grade] SCHOOL DIST 46
2011 – $3.82
2012 – $4.09

[Crystal Lake Grade] SCHOOL DIST 47
2011 – $3.43
2012 – $3.95

[Marengo-Union Grade] SCHOOL DIST 165
2011 – $2.49
2012 – $2.96

[Marengo High] SCHOOL DIST 154
2011 – $2.44
2012 – $2.87

[Crystal Lake High] SCHOOL DIST 155
2011 – $2.30
2012 – $2.64

[McHenry High] SCHOOL DIST 156

2011 – $2.09
2012 – $2.41

[Richmond-Burton High] SCHOOL DIST 157
2011 – $2.93
2012 – $3.12

[Johnsburg] SCHOOL DIST 12

2011 – $4.77
2012 – $5.57

[Alden-Hebron Unit] SCHOOL DIST 19

2011 – $4.72
2012 – $5.37

[Harvard Unit] SCHOOL DIST 50

2011 – $5.89
2012 – $6.21

[Belvidere Unit] SCHOOL DIST 100

2011 – $4.92
2012 – $5.76

[Wauconda Unit] SCHOOL DIST 118
2011 – $5.35
2012 – $6.28

[Huntley] SCHOOL DIST 158
2011 – $4.84
2012 – $5.42

[Woodstock] SCHOOL DIST 200
2011 – $5.85
2012 – $6.90

[Barrington Unit] SCHOOL DIST 220

2011 – $3.64
2012 – $3.59

[Carpentersville Unit] SCHOOL DIST 300
2011 – $4.84
2012 – $5.61

Municipal Tax Rates

ALGONQUIN VILLAGE
2011 – $0.57
2012 – $0.62

BARRINGTON HILLS VILLAGE
2011 – $1.24
2012 – $1.34

BULL VALLEY VILLAGE
2011 – $0.52
2012 – $0.60

CARY VILLAGE
2011 – $0.47
2012 – $0.54

CRYSTAL LAKE CITY
2011 – $0.27
2012 – $0.30

CRYSTAL LAKE FIRE CITY
2011 – $0.59
2012 – $0.68

FOX RIVER GROVE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.66
2012 – $0.74

FOX LAKE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.68
2012 – $0.78

FOX LAKE FIRE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.38
2012 – $0.43

PORT BARRINGTON VILLAGE
2011 – $0.28
2012 – $0.32

GREENWOOD VILLAGE
2011 – $0.0
2012 – $0.0

HARVARD CITY
2011 – $1.94
2012 – $2.21

HEBRON VILLAGE
2011 – $0.59
2012 – $0.69

HOLIDAY HILLS VILLAGE
2011 – $0.22
2012 – $0.24

HUNTLEY VILLAGE
2011 – $0.48
2012 – $0.53

ISLAND LAKE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.58
2012 – $0.72

JOHNSBURG VILLAGE
2011 – $0.44
2012 – $0.51

LAKE IN THE HILLS VILLAGE
2011 – $0.79
2012 – $0.83

LAKEMOOR VILLAGE
2011 – $0.36
2012 – $0.42

LAKEWOOD VILLAGE
2011 – $0.89
2012 – $1.04

MARENGO CITY
2011 – $0.98
2012 – $1.44

MCCULLOM LAKE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.67
2012 – $0.74

MCHENRY CITY
2011 – $0.67
2012 – $0.74

OAKWOOD HILLS VILLAGE
2011 – $0.43
2012 – $0.49

PRAIRIE GROVE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.39
2012 – $0.41

RICHMOND VILLAGE
2011 – $0.86
2012 – $0.96

RINGWOOD VILLAGE
2011 – $0.21
2012 – $0.23

SPRING GROVE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.32
2012 – $0.37

TROUT VALLEY VILLAGE
2011 – $0.0
2012 – $0.0

UNION VILLAGE
2011 – $0.42
2012 – $0.45

WONDER LAKE VILLAGE
2011 – $0.40
2012 – $0.46

WOODSTOCK CITY
2011 – $1.66
2012 – $1.87

Fire Protection District Tax Rates

ALG LITH FIRE DIST
2011 – $0.72
2012 – $0.83

BARRINGTON CTRY FIRE

2011 – $0.37
2012 – $0.35

CARY FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.47
2012 – $0.54

CRYSTAL LAKE FIRE (Part of city government)
2011 – $0.59
2012 – $0.68

CRYSTAL LAKE RURAL FIRE
2011 – $0.40
2012 – $0.40

FOX LAKE FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.35
2012 – $0.42

FOX RIVER GROVE FIRE

2011 – $0.70
2012 – $0.72

HARVARD FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.31
2012 – $0.36

HEBRON-ALDEN GREENWOOD FIRE
2011 – $0.41
2012 – $0.47

HUNTLEY FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.72
2012 – $0.83

MARENGO FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.24
2012 – $0.29

MARENGO RESC SQUAD
2011 – $0.20
2012 – $0.20

MCHENRY FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.45
2012 – $0.50

NUNDA RURAL FIRE
2011 – $0.60
2012 – $0.66

RICHMOND FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.70
2012 – $0.70

SPRING GROVE FIRE
2011 – $0.52
2012 – $0.61

UNION FIRE DIST

2011 – $0.35
2012 – $0.37

WAUCONDA FIRE DIST
2011 – $0.53
2012 – $0.61

WOODSTOCK FIRE RESCUE

2011 – $0.65
2012 – $0.76

WONDER LAKE FIRE
2011 – $0.40
2012 – $0.46

Library District Tax Rates

ALGONQUIN LIBRARY
2011 – $0.46
2012 – $0.52

BARRINGTON LIBRARY
2011 – $0.18
2012 – $0.18

CARY AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY
2011 – $0.21
2012 – $0.24

CRYSTAL LAKE LIBRARY
2011 – $0.35
2012 – $0.39

FOX LAKE LIBRARY
2011 – $0.33
2012 – $0.38

FOX RIVER GR LIBRARY
2011 – $0.47
2012 – $0.53

HUNTLEY AREA LIBRARY
2011 – $0.21
2012 – $0.24

JOHNSBURG LIBRARY
2011 – $0.14
2012 – $0.16

MARENGO-UNION LIBRARY
2011 – $0.15
2012 – $0.18

MCHENRY LIBRARY
2011 – $0.28
2012 – $0.32

RIVER EAST PUBLIC LIBRARY
2011 – $0.15
2012 – $0.18

NIPPERSINK LIBRARY
2011 – $0.16
2012 – $0.19

RURAL WOODSTOCK LIBRARY
2011 – $0.09
2012 – $0.10

WAUCONDA AREA LIBRARY
2011 – $0.41
2012 – $0.47

Park District Tax Rates

BARRINGTON HILLS PARK
2011 – $0.035
2012 – $0.038

CARY PARK DISTRICT
2011 – $0.66
2012 – $0.76

CRYSTAL LAKE PARK
2011 – $0.41
2012 – $0.46

HUNTLEY PARK DIST
2011 – $0.37
2012 – $0.43

MARENGO PARK DIST
2011 – $0.35
2012 – $0.40

Township Tax Rates

ALDEN TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.26
2012 – $0.26

ALGONQUIN TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.066
2012 – $0.074

BURTON TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.084
2012 – $0.098

CHEMUNG TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.14
2012 – $0.17

CORAL TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.078
2012 – $0.087

DORR TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.11
2012 – $0.13

DUNHAM TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.24
2012 – $0.26

GRAFTON TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.071
2012 – $0.083

GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.14
2012 – $0.17

HARTLAND TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.22
2012 – $0.24

HEBRON TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.22
2012 – $0.25

MARENGO TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.20
2012 – $0.23

MCHENRY TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.15
2012 – $0.17

NUNDA TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.091
2012 – $0.10

RICHMOND TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.12
2012 – $0.13

RILEY TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.23
2012 – $0.26

SENECA TOWNSHIP
2011 – $0.16
2012 – $0.18

Township Road & Bridge Tax Rates

ALDEN TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.30
2012 – $0.34

ALGONQUIN TOWNSHIP ED & BR
2011 – $0.14
2012 – $0.16

BURTON TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.10
2012 – $0.12

CHEMUNG TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.33
2012 – $0.37

CORAL TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.19
2012 – $0.22

DORR TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.21
2012 – $0.24

DUNHAM TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.35
2012 – $0.56

GRAFTON TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.051
2012 – $0.059

GREENWOOD TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.35
2012 – $0.41

HARTLAND TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.33
2012 – $0.35

HEBRON TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.35
2012 – $0.38

MARENGO TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.32
2012 – $0.38

MCHENRY TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.27
2012 – $0.31

NUNDA TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.27
2012 – $0.30

RICHMOND TWP RD &BR
2011 – $0.21
2012 – $0.24

RILEY TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.26
2012 – $0.30

SENECA TWP RD & BR
2011 – $0.25
2012 – $0.28

Sanitary District Tax Rates

NORTHERN MORAINE W R
2011 – $0.71
2012 – $0.71

LITH SANITARY DIST
2011 – $0.70
2012 – $0.83

Cemetery District Tax Rates

NUNDA TWP CEMETERY
2011 – $0.0016
2012 – $0.0017

RICHMOND CEMETERY
2011 – $0.01
2012 – $0.01

= = = = =

Other article about the property taxes that will be paid in McHenry County 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

Taxpayers may be making more of a fuss this year than previously.

Maybe not.

Tax districts are getting less than 2% more this year, when the Property Tax Cap allowed them to get 3%.

So, some tax districts showed restraint in reaching into taxpayers’ pockets.

Those who took the time to compare the tax rates on last year’s tax bill (which can be found here on the County Treasurer’s web site until this year’s are posted) with those in my Sunday article will most likely find that their tax rates have increased for just about every tax district.

Yesterday I reported that the tax rates levied on our Lakewood home went up over 15%.

But that’s not all the bad news.

The Illinois Department of Revenue is going to increase assessments by 2.43% on all residential and business property in McHenry County.

Will that lead to wailing and gnashing of teeth?

Total assessed value against which the tax rates are multiplier is

• $7,886,571,742.  That’s $7.9 billion.
• $8,817,375,055 last year.  That’s a loss of $940 million.

Almost a billion dollars.

And, as I explained yesterday, because virtually every tax district in McHenry County is below its statutory maximum, school districts, municipalities, park districts, townships, you name it, have the legal right to increase their tax rates to the point where they get 3% more than was taken out of our pockets last year.

Surely, some will conclude that those on tax district boards believe filling the pockets of governmental entities is more important than maintaining the standards of living of their taxpayers.

There was more new growth in assessed valuation this year than last.

• $31.7 million in 2011
• $34.5 billion in 2012

But the new growth could not possibly pay for all the additional taxes demanded by our local governments.

• $797,394,337.99 will be billed this year.
• $783,689,437.41 was billed last year.

The extra taxers represent under a two percent increase.

That means a number of tax districts did not take the three percent allowed by law.

Maybe we should hold a celebration.

Maybe not.

= = = = =

Articles about other aspects of the 2013 property taxes in McHenry County:

• 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

This was in the Daily Herald Tuesday:

“DuPage County homeowners can expect to pay more property taxes to school districts and other local governments, even though land values continue to plummet.

“The overall value of land in DuPage decreased last year by 8 percent, to roughly $34.6 billion. At the same time, the average tax rate for the county’s 384 taxing bodies — the other half of the tax equation — increased 11.73 percent.

“As a result, property owners countywide are going to pay an average of 3.73 percent more on their tax bills this year…”

So, why does this happen?

The reason, which I have repeated pointed out, is that during the time since the Property Tax Cap took effect in the early 1990′s, real estate inflation vastly outstripped the Consumer Price Index.

Under the Tax Cap, all tax districts but Home Rule municipalities had their tax rates forced down in order to limit their tax extraction from exceeding the increase in the CPI.

That meant their tax rates were well below the maximums set by state law.

When property values started falling, the tax districts kept asking for more money.

Because they were under their maximum rates, those rates were increased enough to give them the amount they got the year before, plus whatever the Consumer Price Index (the measure of inflation used in the law) had increased.

In DuPage County’s case this past year, tax districts did what most do every year, try to squeeze every dime they can out of property owners’ pockets.

As I have reported in November, there’s an attempt to create a tax district similar to the 708 Board to serve the developmentally disabled population of McHenry County.

The problem, as I have pointed out, is that the 708 Board was created for that purpose.

How do I know?

I was County Treasurer when that referendum was passed in the late 1960′s.

It was supported by an organization that I remember being called the McHenry County Citizens for the Retarded.

When the taxes came in I took the first checks to both Pioneer Center, which was located in the old Terra Cotta School House off Route 31 and to Family Services, which was located on the street running from now-McHenry East High School to the Fox River (where the four-story city-subsidized four-story building is located).

As I remember, both those serving those then called “retarded” and those serving those with mental problems both got $25,000 checks.

The current maximum tax rate is 15 cents per $100 of Assessed Valuation.  Because of the Tax Cap that rate has been forced back to 14.5 cents per $100.  The taxes extracted last year approach $12.7 million.

The 708 Board started out giving 50% to the Developmentally Disabled side and 50% to the mental health side.

Over the years, Pioneer Center and others serving the same population have felt shortchanged.

That is the reason for the current referendum to create a special tax district to provide about two-thirds of money as the 708 Board collects. (If I am incorrect, please advise in the comment section.)

Just because the 708 Board is not living up to expectations of its responsibility of part of the population it is supposed to serve is not sufficient reason in my opinion, to vote to impose another layer of government and taxes on McHenry County.

I see Fox River Grove Republican Precinct Committeeman Andrew Gasser agrees.

His first article, “No on the 366 Board,” is unambiguous from the title on.

His second one, “The ‘Language’ of 377,” talks about who will be hurt most by permanent higher taxes.

This proposals proponents are running a virtual stealth campaign.

I found something on the internet, which I posted here.

Below is what you will see at the bottom of the ballot:

The strategy of a stealth campaign, often run by school boards, is to let your supporters know and ignore the undecideds and those likely to be opposed.

Good strategy.

Elections are about differential turnout, of course.  In other words, which side can get more of its supporters to the polls.

I did find the following card supporting the tax hike:

The tax would bring in about $9 million., the proponents say.

The Village of Johnsburg posted a press release attacking Mary Haney and her husband for the cost of replying to Freedom of Information requests. It showed up a day after Haney, running for Village President against incumbent Ed Hettermann, delivered remarks during Public Comment time to the Village Board.

Since the cost of complying with Freedom of Information requests are part of the press release, I thought folks might be interested in their contents.

The entire file is too extensive for me to post, but here’s the resolution that the Illinois Attorney General’s Office’s Public Access Counselor provided on September 22, 2011.

There are others within the last two years which I might dip into later.

My quick reading of what’s below and the documents provided leads me to believe the FOI Request was sent by Haney or on her behalf (the name of the requested is blacked out) and that the stimulus for the request was the Village of Johnsburg’s paying a property tax bill that the Haneys had previously paid.