Valley Hi Capital Improvement Suggestions Released, Tax Levy Discussion Tonight

Valley HI

Valley Hi, McHenry County’s public nursing home.

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 “tax reserves.”

Valley Hi Capital Plan 2014The most expensive suggestion costs $1 million. It is for “basement gravel room development.”

The Valley Hi Operating Board meets Tuesday night at 7 PM.  The Board meets at 2406 Hartland Road, which is northwest of Woodstock. The agenda is here.

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Comments

Valley Hi Capital Improvement Suggestions Released, Tax Levy Discussion Tonight — 4 Comments

  1. There is news today about the double digit price gains on home values all around the county.

    In McHenry County, our home values remain depressed and are predicted to fall further.

    What does this mean to actual people?

    We cant afford to sell here (at lower and lower home prices) and buy or rent living quarters elsewhere in the state or nation—because homes all around the country are rising in value while ours continue to fall in value.

    WHY?

    What is unique about McHenry County Illinois that makes our properties worth less and less each year even as inflation alone drives housing costs higher everywhere in the country?

    Property taxes.

    Our property tax rate is higher than the rate which was called Crisis-level in bankrupt Detroit.

    Our property tax rates (annual taxes as a percentage of home value) are approaching 3.7% of home value.

    Stop and think about that. Our property tax rate is nearly 3.7% of home value.

    The national average property tax rate is about 1.15% of home value.

    What could a McHenry County homeowner do with 2% or more of their home value every year? Pay a child’s college fund?

    Fix their own roof, go out to local restaurants once in a while?

    (3.7% of a %100,000 home is $3700 annual tax burden.

    At 1.15%, the national average, the tax burden on the same home would be $1150.

    So if a person can afford to move away from here they may have $2550 per year every year extra to spend on anything: including charity or educational recipient of their own choosing).

    WHY is this relevant to the discussion of Valley Hi?

    There are 128 beds at that facility.

    The budget is $10 million? 10 mil divided by 128 residents is $78,000 per resident.

    That is IN ADDITION to the money each resident pays in by herself, or Medicare or Medicaid pays on each resident’s behalf.

    The individuals making spending decisions need to know that their spending habits are having HUGE HARMFUL impact on taxpaying citizens.

    People in the healthcare industry tend to be compassionate.

    I beg them, please focus a little of their compassion onto the plight of the real people, the ordinary citizens, who are seeing their home values plunge as a direct effect of the obscenely high property tax rates in this county.

  2. County Board Candidate David Stieper brought this out at LWV candidates forum; too bad the other, seated Board Members, seemed unaware of this stash.

    We need the expertise and experience of smart people willing to run for public office.

    All we have to invest is our VOTE.

  3. How about this solution: Get rid of Valley Hi all together … get the politicians’ parents and other relatives off the taxpayer subsidized nursing home …….

    How many othercounties in Illinois have such a white elephant???????

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