Crystal Lake TIF-Fighting Flyer: Developers Win, You Lose

The Crystal Lake City Council is planning to divert money from our school, park & college districts to benefit developers along Route 14 and on Main St. in Crystal Lake.

A TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District freezes the property tax revenue the school, park and other local governments get and takes taxes from inflationary growth and new construction for other purposes. It takes from Peter to pay Paul. You will be “Peter;” Mayor Shepley and the city council decide who “Paul” is.

Districts 47 & 155 will lose MILLIONS OF DOLLARS over a 23-year period. Schools (and other local governments) will make up for the loss of up to $138 million in tax dollars by raising our real estate tax bills. Any extra money paid by the businesses in the TIF districts won’t go to the schools or parks or MCC. It will be spent in the TIF districts.

The biggest TIF district might be voted on as early as mid-Nov…unless you tell Mayor Shepley and the city council you don’t want them to approve it.

Call Mayor Shepley at 477-4761 and council members Ellen Brady Mueller at 477-4502, Howie Christensen at 459-1153, Ralph Dawson at 459-5983, Cathy Ferguson at 477-7254, Dave Goss at 455-3365, and Jeff Thorsen at 455-5695. General emails may also be sent to comments@CrystalLake.org. Just put whom it’s for in the title line.

Come to city hall at 7:30 for the Nov. 1st TIF hearing. Come Nov. 15th for the vote. Voice your opinion.

For more info, see McHenryCountyBlog.com. For leaflets call 459-3506.


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