Back in November, Scott Curry was thinking about running for McHenry Alderman in Ward 4. Here’s what he said when he addressed the Finance and Personnel Committee on November 3rd: Thank you for allowing me to speak this evening. As you … Continue reading
From reader Susan. Facts about the Woodstock School District which she extracted from the Official Statement of 2014 General Obligation Bonds issued by D200. Numbers are worse in Woodstock CUSD 200. This is where Lakewood will insert the children of the … Continue reading
Thanks to The First Electric Newspaper for reminding me that it is that time of year when financial officials at tax districts find out how much more tax money they will be able to get in 2016. They already know … Continue reading
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
Sophomore State Rep. David McSweeney introduced eleven bills on the first day of the session. To say that it is an ambitious agenda is more than an understatement. You can take a look at them below: House Bill 173 – Repeals … Continue reading
On the first day of his third set of three-year terms, Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks introduced four bill that could be merchandised to homeowners in a General Election four years from now. Seems to me it is in … Continue reading
In a post on his web site, newly-elected District 1 McHenry County Board member Andrew Gasser calls for lowering real estate taxes to be the primary objective. The Fox River Grove man did this in his comments on the County … Continue reading
Commenter Susan has compiled some facts about McHenry County Conservation District over the last ten years. She originally posted them under State Senator Pam Althoff’s defense of her and State Rep. Mike Tryon’s Senate Bill 3341 to allow MCCD to … Continue reading
In the candidates’ forum for McHenry County Board members, high property taxes were brought up more than any other subject. No matter that school districts, not the County Board, are mostly responsible for our bring in the highest 30 counties … Continue reading
The McHenry County College Board was split 4-3 last year on whether or not to collect the same amount of money this year as the year before. Since then tax fighter Tom Wilbeck has moved slightly out of the district, … Continue reading
Senior citizens who are eligible for the senior citizen assessment freeze got a surprise last year. Their tax bills went up. That’s because other people’s assessments went down. It’s called “burden shift.” The tax burden was shifted from non-seniors to … Continue reading
The Illinois real estate assessment system bases one’s share of the total bill on the value of one’s property (unless one has farm land). A short history of how we got where we are. The 1870 Constitution required that real … Continue reading
This press release below from local Republican Party is too narrowly headlined. It is aimed at any Republican planning to run for any local office. All of those on the ballot next spring are non-partisan, but the actions of those … Continue reading
When I was at the Courthouse complex, I stopped in to pay our property taxes. The sign out front reminds motorists that they are due Thursday. One man asked the penalty for late payment. To my surprise it’s 1 1/2% … Continue reading
With tax bills due Thursday, September 4th, I thought readers might be interesting in comparing what tax districts billed last year, compared to this year. Here is an article summarizing what various types of tax districts did. Below are links … Continue reading
Another of the research efforts by a Friend of McHenry County Blogstimulated by the proposal to build a gas-fired power plant in Oakwood Hills: Property Tax and Power Plants Ill-researched proclamations that a power plant will bring tax money to … Continue reading
I know it is mid-summer and I forgot to show the comparisons between what McHenry County’s five park districts billed property taxpayers last year and this year. The word “extension” below is the amount that was billed taxpayers. Because the … Continue reading
Bond analysis Steve Willson offers the following essay: Proposition 2½ Property taxes in Illinois are too high. But how high is too high? Two and a half percent. I’d like to say two percent, because even that was higher than … Continue reading
McHenry County government’s audit has been posted on the County Auditor’s web site. If you go to pages 161 and 162, you will find how various sources of revenue fared over the years. Below are real estate tax collections–up every … Continue reading
In response to a Freedom of Information request, the McHenry County Board has released a draft of the County nursing home’s capital improvement plan. Taxpayers may find it of interest, especially because the tax levy will be discussed, as will … Continue reading
