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Editorials
'Tax Revolt Day' attracts a crowd : Editorials : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, Illinois'Tax Revolt Day' attracts a crowd
| 6/14/2012
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In case you missed it, June 1 was "Tax Revolt Day" in Kendall County.
As we reported last week, June 1 was the day three concerned Yorkville residents, Mark Johnson and Don and Judith Burks, organized and hosted a special event in Yorkville's Town Square Park. Concerned about rising property taxes and government spending, the three organizers spent the day in the park, handing out pamphlets with information concerning property taxes and the tax appeal process. An estimated 300 people stopped by the park.
Johnson and Burks should be applauded for their effort to call attention to the complicated property tax system and rising tax bills.
As homes throughout the county have declined significantly in value since the 2008, many county property owners evidently believed their property taxes would at least stay the same or even decline. But for most property owners that hasn't been the case. Many homeowners saw increases of several hundred dollars on this year's tax bills.
Here's what's happened: While assessments have fallen on most properties, tax rates have been increased to offset the lower assessments. Most agencies have done this to ensure they continue to receive at least as much in tax revenues as they did in prior years. Also, tax rates for many local government agencies have risen in many instances to provide additional revenues the agencies need to pay for necessary governmental services. Like local homeowners, the agencies have needed more money-even in this down economy--to pay for essential services, including fuel for school buses, fire trucks, ambulances, squad cards and snowplows, health care insurance for their employees, to maintain their facilities and, of course, for employee salaries.
Taxpayers should pay attention and learn how the property tax system works. When they receive notices in the mail of their assessments being changed late this summer or this fall, they should make sure that it reflects the one-third fair market value required by state law. If they believe their assessment is wrong, they should contact their local township assessor for an explanation.
More residents also need to become more engaged in local government. They should not hesitate to question how government spends their tax dollars. For example, more Yorkville residents should right now be questioning why they are paying for the health insurance-including vision and dental-for their part-time aldermen, while all Kendall County residents should be asking why they are doing the same for the county's part-time board members. Eliminating such perks would save taxpayers some money, but would not translate into a significant reduction in their annual tax bills. All the same, it would be a start, and make beleaguered taxpayers feel a bit better.
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