The Tax Cap Did Not Make Your Tax Bill Go Up, Tax District Officials Asking for More Money Did That

Under the heading of “Why your tax bills went up,” in Kevin Craver’s article on the issuance of Property Tax bills is a misstatement from the McHenry County Supervisor of Assessments. The Northwest Herald story says Robert Ross indicated, “The … Continue reading

School District 300 Shows Its Taxeater Side in Opposing “Anti-Education” Tax Cap Limit

A press release from Carpentersville School District 300 [I have inserted some comments in brackets.] is below: D300 opposes Tax Cap Bill as “anti-public service” On Feb. 21, Senate Bill 2073 passed the Illinois House of Representatives including an amendment … Continue reading

Senate Sponsor of Jack Franks’ Property Tax Cap Bill Says It’s “Dead on Arrival”

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog noted that State Rep. Jack Franks’ bill was “headline” bill, that is one, that was put up to garner local press, but never intended to be enacted. In fact, I quoted a state legislator close to … Continue reading

Jack Franks’ Tax Cap Bill Passes House – Roll Call of SB 2073 & Email Addresses of Local Tax District Officials whose Lobbyists Tried to Kill the Bill and Will Do So Again in the Senate

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) has reversed the House defeat of his bill to prevent local tax districts from raising the tax take when assessed valuation is not growing…regardless of the increase in the … Continue reading

Jack Franks Hits a Taxeater Nerve

It was the late 1960’s or early 1970’s when I heard or read State Rep. CL McCormick of Vienna coin the word “taxeater.” I think it was when WBBM was running an evening Illinois House session live. I admit to … Continue reading

Franks’ Tax Cap Bill Shot Down, Roll Call on HB 3793

A press release from State Rep. Kent Gaffney reveals that State Rep. Jack Franks’ bill to rein in the taxeaters when down in flames today in the Illinois House. So much for my predictive ability from 200 miles away. I … Continue reading

Jack Franks’ Tax Cap Firework

That’s “firework.” Singular. In order to give cover to House Democrats who voted to hike state income taxes by 67%, House Speaker Mike Madigan is going to allow Jack Franks to have the spotlight one day this week. One bill. … Continue reading

No Financial Diet for McHenry County Next Year + The Tax Levy Game

There is widespread misunderstanding about the tax process. Today, we won’t look at the assessment part. Instead we will examine what tax districts do to pry more money out of our pockets. News stories talk about levies this time of … Continue reading

Grafton Township Supervisor Offers Chance for Internet Input on Next Year’s Tax Bill

A press release from Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore: Residents of Grafton Township now have the ability to show the members of the township board how they would cast their vote regarding the township tax levies for the Township and … Continue reading

School Supt. State Rep. Roger Eddy Throws Wrench at Jack Franks’ Tax Cap Bill

No doubt which side of the taxpayer Downstate Republican State Representative Roger Eddy is on. It’s not the taxpayers’. This is the legislator who wanted to loosen the Real Estate Tax Cap in the early 2000’s in order to allow … Continue reading

Illinois Municipal League Opposes Government Tax Take Freeze

Not only the Township Officials of Illinois, but the more powerful Illinois Municipal League has lined up against State Rep. Jack Franks’ bill to keep property taxes constant in years when real estate assessments are declining. Under the way that … Continue reading

Township Officials Oppose Tax Diversion, Limitation

The lobbying arm of Illinois Township Officials is urging local members to call their legislators to ask them to oppose two bills. One takes money from a state subsidy that should have been phased out decades ago. It looks like … Continue reading

Jack Franks’ Tax Limitation Bill Advances

A Jack Franks’ bill that would prevent most local governments from getting more money in year two than they did in year one if real estate assessments are declining flew out of the House Revenue Committee 6-1 Tuesday. There is … Continue reading

Tax Bills and Assessments

With State Rep. Jack Franks about to get lots of publicity about keeping real estate tax bills down, it’s worth looking at the underlying problem. This is the third or fourth article I have written on the subject.  It’s a … Continue reading

Gaffney Seeks to Limit Local Government’s Taxing Authority When Assessments Decrease

Newly-appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney sends this press release: Gaffney wants tax relief for homeowners Property tax bills should reflect declining home values Wauconda, IL… In response to increasing property tax bills in the collar counties, State Representative Kent Gaffney … Continue reading

How Real Estate Tax Rates Are Set – Tax Levies, Extensions and the Tax Cap

A comment from Allen Skillicorn to my article on the Sun City overlapping tax district inequities prompted an explanation of how tax rates are set by county clerks. Here is Skillicorn’s comment: With a 1 yr average, I assume the … Continue reading

Real Estate Tax Assessments Down Almost 10%, Don’t Expect a Lower Bill

The 2010 assessed valuation has been totaled for McHenry County and it’s down almost 10%. That’s what a comparison of raw figures from the McHenry County Supervisor of Assessments Office indicate. McHenry County real estate taxes this year will be … Continue reading

The Primal Urge of Government: Take as Much as It Can Get

Two local governments got recommendations from a board member to go easy on taxpayers. No need to extract as much as possible from taxpayers was the suggestion of Grafton Township Supervisor and McHenry Grade School Board member John O’Neill. Moore … Continue reading