Reader Reaction to Woodstock Independent Editorial Hit Piece on Joe Tirio – Part 2

Susan Handelsman, Seneca Township resident, had this reaction to the Woodstock Independent’s trashing of Joe Tirio, McHenry County Clerk: Independent editorial attacking honest reformer for standing up to Professional Political Class In response to the Woodstock Independent editorial attacking County … Continue reading

Detail of What Happened in Court Featuring Revelation of Jack Franks’ Allies Who Sent Mail Smearing Joe Tirio’s Name

Susan Handelsman was in the courtroom taking notes Friday at the trial in which McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio was seeking to discover who was responsible for the numerous hit pieces aimed at ruining his reputation. This morning she wrote … Continue reading

Why Woodstock Residents Should Oppose New TIF District

Susan Handelsman again urges Woodstock residents to contact members of their City Council asking them to reject the new Tax Increment Financing District: 2018 Woodstock TIF 2 Final City Council Action Coming Up Woodstock TIFs are tax hikes. Woodstock property tax rate … Continue reading

Summary of Arguments Against Huge Woodstock Tax Increment Financing District Approval

From Susan Handelsman: 2018 Woodstock TIF 2 Joint Review Board School Objections Woodstock TIF 2 Joint Review Board voted 5-2 to ‘pass’ TIF 2 (NOT “Recommend’ it). Two swing YES votes came from the Woodstock-chosen “Citizen Representative” who refused to … Continue reading

Why TIF Districts Raise Your Taxes

From School District 200 resident Susan Handelsman: WHERE DOES TIF MONEY COME FROM? Mayor Brian Sager of Woodstock and a large team of highly compensated Financial Development department government employees assert that the money comes from TIF ‘Development’, NOT taxpayers … Continue reading

First Woodstock Tax Increment Financing District Analyzed

From Seneca Township and School District 200 resident Susan Handelsman: 1997 Woodstock TIF 1 Data about Diecast Site By historical records available, it seems that: By 1998, the Diecast site was cleaned up at Allied Signal’s expense, and the clean … Continue reading

MCC Teacher Ignores MCC Board’s Opposition Woodstock TIF District

From Woodstock’s Susan Handelsman: 2018 Woodstock TIF 2 City Council Appeal 11-20-18 Woodstock City Council, the only people empowered now to stop Woodstock TIF 2, need to be made aware that the so-called ‘taxpayer’s representative” on the Joint Review Board … Continue reading

Can the Woodstock TIF Be Stopped?

More thoughts from Seneca Township resident Susan Handelsman: WOODSTOCK TIF 2: CAN IT BE STOPPED? Lawsuit. Woodstock CUSD 200 has standing to file litigation to stop this TIF. The TIF study procured by Woodstock has enough similarities to the 2016 … Continue reading

Fighting the Woodstock Tax Increment Financing District

From Seneca Township’s Susan Handelsman: WOODSTOCK TIF 2: TAXPAYERS SELF-DEFENSE OPTIONS Detach southern/western portion of taxable properties from Woodstock CUSD 200.  A second school district could be created from the old high school and new Dean Street school complex. New … Continue reading

Trying to Get a Handle on Tax Increment Financing Districts

The following is from rural Woodstock resident Susan Handelsman, as result of substantial analysis: Quantifying the Nebulous “But-For” TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Requirement Using Cap rate as ‘But-For’ guidance In every profession there are industry standards guiding decisions. Real estate … Continue reading

Susan Handelsman Points Out $47 Million New Woodstock TIF Cost Worth Only $34 Million

Here is what Seneca Township resident Susan Handelsman, an ardent Tax Increment Financing District opponent, presented in Public Comment at Monday’s Woodstock Joint Review Board meeting. Analyze TIF as a Promised Annuity beginning Payment in 23 years.. (Woodstock TIF 2 … Continue reading

Woodstock Tax Increment Financing District Hearing Yields No Substantive Discussion by Joint Review Board

At three o’clock representatives from the following tax districts who would be negatively affected by the proposed 562 acre, 536 structure Woodstock TIF District met at City Hall: McHenry County College Woodstock School District 200 Woodstock Fire Protection District Dorr … Continue reading