Gasser Holds Property Tax Forum – Miller Announces 10 Percent Cut

Andrew Gasser held is Property Tax State of Emergency Tax Forum last Friday to an overflow crowd at Panera Bread in Fox River Grove.

The room filled up quickly and at points during the meeting the group overflowed outside of the room.  

Gasser had a prepared power point presentation in which he lead a guided discussion over how property taxes work in Illinois.

The room was filled to capacity and spilled out into the hallway.

The room was filled to capacity and spilled out into the hallway.

The town hall had people attending from Fox River Grove, Cary, Crystal Lake, and Barrington Hills.  

In addition to topics and problems faced by new board members and trustees, other topics covered were Effective Tax Rate (ETR), Estimated Assessed Value (EAV), and where you could look up your tax bill online.

The tax bill from the Property Tax State of Emergency forum.

The tax bill from the Property Tax State of Emergency forum.

There were several other elected officials in attendance:

  • Bob Miller – Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner
  • Larry Emery – Algonquin Township Trustee
  • Scott Coffey – Cary School Board
  • Jennifer Curtis – Village of Fox River Grove Trustee
Bob Miller discussing taxes at Andrew Gasser's property tax forum.

Bob Miller discussing taxes at Andrew Gasser’s property tax forum.

While Gasser did not discuss his campaign for Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Bob Miller did make an announcement that he would be cutting his levy by 10 percent in 2017 and 2018 to a round of applause.  

One person did ask Miller why he was cutting taxes now; however, the answer was not clear cut.

Andrew Gasser discussing McHenry County's high property taxes.

Andrew Gasser discussing McHenry County’s high property taxes.

At the end of the meeting Gasser did remind the audience that McHenry County pays the 29th highest property taxes in the United States.  

He then “climbed on his soap box” and told people to “control what they could control”.

“You cannot control what happens in Washington DC, Springfield, or even Chicago… but you can control who you vote for when it comes to local elections,” Gasser said.

Specifically, he talked about holding local elected officials accountable for their votes and spending habits and encouraged all to start attending meetings that they were passionate about.  

Gasser did not say if he would have another meeting but after the success of this meeting it would make sense if he continued to do this about Algonquin Township and McHenry County.


Comments

Gasser Holds Property Tax Forum – Miller Announces 10 Percent Cut — 11 Comments

  1. Bob Miller – cutting his levy by 10 percent in 2017!?

    Why is he able to do this NOW? –

    Because he has a tax fighter as an opponent?

    Wasn’t this Miller the same one who hired his wife as a secretary at $92,000/yr!!!!

    and has sat in that job for decades as his father did before him??

    Isn’t he the same guy who was insulted at his own pay when he and his family are getting rich off the taxpayers?!

    If you’re running scared now, Miller, maybe you should’ve been a little more careful and fair with the people paying your family’s salaries all those years instead of sucking them dry all those years for all you could get!?

  2. Does protesting or challenging candidates who filed using the incorrect forms result in disqualifications?

  3. As a resident of FRG I attended this forum and I am very disappointed in what was presented there was no solutions presented only Mr Gasser enraging the audience and enflaming them on their already high property taxes I don’t need somebody to just restate the obvious I want someone who has true solutions

  4. The “true” solution is for people like you to run for office.

    The deadline for filing for most local governments is the 19th.

  5. tax rate in FRG is 4.48% of home’s fair market value.

    tax rate is SPENDING divided by (taxable)EQUALIZED ASSESSED VALUE.

    In order to lower the RATE, either SPENDING must be lowered,
    or
    EAV must rise.

    Because EAV will not ordinarily rise with SPENDING this high(except with normal inflation, but lagging inflationary rise across America where tax rates are lower),
    the only ways to raise EAV seem to be:

    1. Oppose TIF Districts and Enterprise Zones. These tax-diversion mechanisms steer property tax dollars away from taxing bodies (over 35 years of inflation).

    2. Seek to force under-assessed properties to be protested by County Chief Assessor.

    3.Verify that abated taxes are granted fairly. If for-profit businesses are granted property tax abatement, it requires subsidization by remaining property taxpayers.

  6. Andrew has a solution, let us vote on taxes and levies.
    Andrew, why wasn’t that part of your talking points?

    Frankly I fail to understand why more haven’t supported that concept!!!

  7. Re: “let us vote on taxes and levies” ” I fail to understand why more haven’t supported that concept!!!”

    Could it be because those same voters approve School / Road District / Conservation District Bond after Bond after Bond and then complain about high property tax?

    Could it be because those same voters voted for the Constitutional change which created the environment resulting in the current public pension mess in this state?

    Could it be because those same voters just voted for another Constitutional change which will likely result in further credit downgrades for the State?

    Could it be because those same voters chose to have a County Board Chairman elected at large to further increase the cost of government?

    On and on and on.

    The “Dumbing Down” is almost complete.

    We now live in a country where the ‘millennials’ believe a military dictatorship would be welcomed.

    Fascinating!

  8. Questioning, my friend and shadow, where are your solutions to every talking point you just whined about?

    Voting on Bonds, ie borrowing, I’d put a 2/3 vote for approval, no more as the wind blows 51%.

    Most voters today were not of voting age in 1970, or because of a lack of explanation on the Constitutional change by the dudes running the state then, trusted the politicians like Big Jim.

    Never trust a politician, which you seem to favor by not wanting us vote on taxes and levies.

    The MFT vote was correct as the $$$$ were for roads not pet projects for the politicians.

    Result in future credit down grades your worried about, why when the self serving politicians shouldn’t be borrowing at all to run gov.

    They should only budget/spend what is available at that time in revenue, revenue we agree to give them, not what they think we should pay.

    Credit down grades, bring them on they are way over due, they should slow down gov borrowing to buy votes.

    A small number of millennial’s talk out the …. about military dictatorships, most really don’t want than, rather they really want more control of their gov which voting on taxes and levies would do.

    Fascinating is you seem to like same old same old over a small change that could result in a big change on politician’s trying to buy votes.

    Seems you want to stop people from voting, very Stalin of you.

    Any way your turn, lets here your solutions, FRIEND!!!!!!

  9. Lake in the Hills is considering a budget with a million dollar deficit in the corporate fund this week.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *