Found this article about the DuPage County budget for next year.
What struck me was that the DuPage County Board is levying less money than McHenry County–less than $70 million.
From the article in the Bugle:
Paul Fichtner, Chairman of the County Board’s Finance Committee, said the property tax levy will stay at $66.9 million.
McHenry County is levying over $79 million in the coming year, compared to $76 million for tax bills paid this year.
In Dupage County, the Forest Preserve is a separate property taxing district.
In McHenry County, the Conservation District is part of the County property taxing district.
According to the Census Bureau, DuPage County has a population of 933,736 while McHenry County has a population of 307,343.
According to DuPage County’s FY2015 CAFR, their property tax levy was about $67 million.
That’s about $215 per family.
According to McHenry County’s FY2015 CAFR, their property tax levy was about $75 million.
That’s about $730 per family.
DuPage has 3x the residents!
Dupage must get volume discounts unavailable to McHenry County.
What could possibly justify such a disparity?
hahaha… and this is a surprise…LOL …
In FY 2016, the McHenry County Conservation District Bond Principal payment is $6.64M, and Interest payment is $5.42M.
That’s a combined $12.06M.
The difference above is $79M McHenry County – $66.9M DuPage County = $12.1M.
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DuPage County Forest Preserve
Forest Preserve District Approves 2016 Tax Levy
“Today [no date listed], the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Board of Commissioners approved the agency’s $54.3 million 2016 tax levy, which represents a slight decrease over the prior year and will support the 2016 – 2017 fiscal year budget.
The levy translates to approximately $165 in property taxes for the owner of a $300,000 home.
For every dollar spent in property taxes by DuPage County residents, about 2 cents supports the District.
http://www.dupageforest.org/commissioners_approve_2016_tax_levy
Yes my DuPage bill went down ever so slightly last year.
But they’ve been going up like a rocket since 1990.
Gee, thanks DuPage.
Much of the increase in property taxes in DuPage County since 1990 came from non-referendum bonds imposed for entities like the airport and the water commission.
Mark, if I’m not mistaken, the McHenry County Conservation District levied about $19 million in taxes in addition to the $76 million levied by the County for its operations.
If I’m wrong, please correct me.
If that’s the case, then the comparison of the property taxes for DuPage County’s general government with McHenry’s would be correct, would it not?
The DuPage Water Commission has had no levy the last several years after they recovered from a scandal.
There’s been a surcharge that municipalities are adding to water bills due Chicago hiking its rate though.
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Looking at the following report on the DuPage County property tax rate and extension report website.
Taxing Body Extension by Township 2015, as of March 31, 2016.
That’s 2015 Tax Year, payable in 2016.
County: $66,817,484 (does not include several County SSAs).
Forest Preserve: $54,986,281
DuPage Airport Authority: $6,061,919
etc.
Grand Total all property taxing district levie in the county: $2,702,620,662.
That’s $2.7 Billion in property taxes.
http://www.dupageco.org/CountyClerk/49766
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The DuPage Airport Authority will not have a levy for FY 2016.
The DuPage Airport Authority also had financial mismanagement, in the very early 2000’s.
In 2015 Assessment Year, McHenry County (the county itself) taxes extended are $76,289,016.
The McHenry County Conservation District taxes extended are an additional $19,572,804.
source: Illinois Department of Revenue PTAX 250, Count Summary Abstract of Valuations, Levies, Tax Rates, and Tax Extensions.
This document is located on the McHenry County website at:
http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/county-government/departments-a-i/county-clerk/taxes
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So even though the Conservation District is a component unit of the County, for property tax extension purposes, it appears as a separate line item.
So the mystery continues, why is the DuPage County extension less than the McHenry County extension.
DuPage did not include the County SSA’s in its extension.
Did McHenry include any County SSA’s in its extension?
Bonds would be an area to look into, meaning is McHenry extending more for bond payments than DuPage.
Could some of the higher McHenry County costs be the result of the fact that McHenry County is less developed than DuPage County, and therefore perhaps less land has been annexed to municipalities in McHenry County.
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The grand total for McHenry County taxes extended for Assessment Year 2015 for all property taxing districts is $823,699,731.
Like comparing apples to oranges but worse.
DuPage has three times the number of people but the EAV on which property tax rates are based is 4.79 times greater.
Residential EAV in DuPage was $25,583,305,234 versus $5,711,573,628 in McHenry.
Total EAV in DuPage was $33,900,296,790 versus $7,075,931,695 in McHenry.
Bottom line when it comes to property taxes in McHenry County is that we have government we cannot afford.
If only this County had a direct access to an Interstate Highway, the residents could leave more rapidly!
Not to worry though, the residents just voted in one of the worst politicians to ever step into the State House – just ask any elected Democrat who has served in Springfield.
Number one goal: Sell Valley Hi. Eliminate the tax.
Number two goal: Rein in spending by MCCD via elimination of their well staffed and equipped security force.
McHenry County access to I-90 through:
Intersection of Getty Road & State Route 20 is 1/2 mile from the State Route 20 & I-90 interchange.
Intersection of Kreutzer Road & State Route 47 is 2 miles from the State Route 47 & I-90 interchange.
Intersection of County Line Road and Randall Road is 5 miles from the Randall Road & I-90 interchange.
Intersection of Wilbrandt Road and State Route 31 is 6.5 miles from State Route 31 & I-90 interchange.
Intersection of County Line Road and Haegers Bend Road (Haegers Bend Road is the continuation north of Route 25 and is just north of the Route 62 / Algonquin Road intersection) is 6 miles from the State Route 25 & I-90 interchange.
The intersection of Wilbrandt Road & State Route 25,
The I-90 / State Route 23 interchange projects is moving forward.
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The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
Tollway Headquarters
2700 Ogden Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515
Finance, Administration, & Operations Committee Meeting Agenda
December 7, 2016, 9:30AM
Item 9.0 – Engineering
1. Award of Contract I-16-4268 to Lorig Construction Company for Bridge Widening and Reconstruction, on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) from Milepost 36.1 (IL 23) to Milepost 36.6, in the amount of $6,873,730.15.
http://www.illinoistollway.com/documents/20184/148479/20161202_Dec2016+Comm+Mtg+Notice+and+Agendas/d2402545-ccfd-4b76-a67f-5783e0cae34f?version=1.0
The I-90 / State Route 23 interchange project is moving forward.
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McHenry County Board
Regular Meeting
September 6, 2016
The Minutes have not yet been posted.
The Agenda Packet was posted.
The Agenda Packet is located here:
http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=3246&Inline=True
Regular Meeting
9AM
County Board Conference Room, Administration Building
667 Ware Rd, Woodstock, IL 60098
16. Routine Consent Agenda >
2. Approve the Following Recommendations >
B. Finance and Audit >
6. Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, the Illinois Department of Transportation, the County of McHenry and the City of Marengo for Engineering and Construction of a New Interchange at Illinois State Route 23 with the Jane Addams Tollway (Interstate 90).
7. Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Marengo and the County of McHenry for Professional Engineering Services for an Interchange at Illinois State Route 23 with the Jane Addams Tollway (Interstate 90) and Appropriating Funds.
Lots of detail about those Resolutions in the 240 page Agenda Packet.