Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Wonder Lake School Board President Thinks Developer Impact Fees Will Pay for Land and School
A Tuesday Northwest Herald story by Jenn Wiant about the huge 1,400-acre Thatcher Meadows’ potential impact on local schools quotes Harrison Grade School District 36 Board President Linda Armettis.
She says something that ought to send up warning flares that her Wonder Lake constituents are in big trouble.
"Land and buildings can be paid for with developer impact fees,” Armettis says.
Well, I guess they could be, but I wouldn’t count on it.
It certainly has never happened in McHenry County.
Developers are more likely to kick in tens of thousands of dollars for a local tax hike committee, which will try to convince Wonder Lake voters that “It’s for the kids.”
Developer impact fees pay for the cost of the land needed for the school, assuming the local municipality has an up-to-date ordinance.
Given that the Village of Wonder Lake has lower transition fees than the City of Woodstock and Greenwood, I wouldn’t count on its village trustees protecting local taxpayers from much higher school taxes because of new residents in Thatcher Meadows.
School Board President Wiant does show an understanding that higher taxes will be needed to pay for teachers’ salaries and other costs of operating the new school:
She says something that ought to send up warning flares that her Wonder Lake constituents are in big trouble.
"Land and buildings can be paid for with developer impact fees,” Armettis says.
Well, I guess they could be, but I wouldn’t count on it.
It certainly has never happened in McHenry County.
Developers are more likely to kick in tens of thousands of dollars for a local tax hike committee, which will try to convince Wonder Lake voters that “It’s for the kids.”
Developer impact fees pay for the cost of the land needed for the school, assuming the local municipality has an up-to-date ordinance.
Given that the Village of Wonder Lake has lower transition fees than the City of Woodstock and Greenwood, I wouldn’t count on its village trustees protecting local taxpayers from much higher school taxes because of new residents in Thatcher Meadows.
School Board President Wiant does show an understanding that higher taxes will be needed to pay for teachers’ salaries and other costs of operating the new school:
Paying the teachers and operating the schools would be most difficult.
Labels: developer impact fees, Greenwood, Harrison School, transition fees, Wonder Lake, Woodstock
