The McHenry County Board placed on public view its proposed tax levy for the year starting on December 1st.
$73,802,726 is the amount requested.
Compare that to last year’s levy: $65,208,205.21
That’s a 13.2% increase.
Truly remarkable, considering the Board promised to cut the approximately $22 million in real estate taxes levied for the Mental Health Board if citizens approved a quarter of one percent sales tax hike…which they did.
Even more audacious that the Crystal Lake Park District’s v 6-1 vote Monday night to hike taxes 7.7%.
There were members of the public who called the Board out for the proposal
After articulate opposition in public comment to the Greenwood Township slaughterhouse served only by a dirt road easement, a small number of residents took the County Board to task.
Terra Nielsen said, in part, “You face inflation, but so do we.”
She referred to the real estate-sales tax swap passed last year.
“Keep your promise.
“This sounds like betrayal.
Next was Annette Freeds.
“Shame on you.
“We’re not an open checkbook.
“The next time someone tells me you want to be fiscally responsible, what do you think I’m going to say?”
McHenry County Republican Kirk Donald then spoke about what is being called the three-year “lookback” approach.
Kirk Donald
He said when he looked at his last three tax bills it was “increase, increase, increase.”
“We don’t need a tax increase.
“We need tax heroes.”
Algonquin Township Republican Party Chairman Bruce Johnson, who also heads We the People, McHenry County, proposed a local “efficiency task force.”
Bruce Johnson
“Protect our tax cuts,” he urged.
Paul Rash didn’t plan to speak, but want to reiterate that the levy wouldn’t go up this year if we passed the mental health sales tax.
“It’s a broken promise.”
Finance Committee Chairman Mike Skala invited members to attend the November 6th meeting at 8:30 AM to discuss the budget. (Naturally, the public may attend and speak, too, during public comment.)
Built into the budget, according to County Executive Peter Austin is $1.7 million abatement.
He urged members to look at a document that was passed out and come to a “robust” conversation at the Finance Committee meeting on November 6th.
