New Kane County Budget Proposal Would Freeze Property Tax Levy
Kane Board chairman pushes through zero-increase levy after Finance Committee chair suggests a tax increase.
After the Kane County Board Finance Committee Chairman proposed a 2013 budget that would raise the property tax levy in spite of declining real estate values, Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay countered with her own budget proposal that freezes the levy on existing property for the second consecutive year.
"I could not stand by and watch an irresponsible budget increase the burden on the taxpayers," said McConnaughay, Republican candidate for state senate in the 33rd District. "When property owners are seeing values go down it is unconscionable to raise their taxes, especially without any coherent reason why."
County Finance Committee Chairman Jim Mitchell wrote a budget that increased the county tax levy in spite of a 6.8 percent decrease in assessed valuation in the county. Mitchell said the tax hike would pay for across-the-board salary increases and other unspecified spending increases.
"During this prolonged recession Kane County has cut spending and headcount, made government more efficient and sought to reduce, not raise, the burden on the public, and that is what we must continue to do."
McConnaughay introduced her alternative budget, which freezes the levy on existing property, in a meeting of the Board's Executive Committee on Wednesday, saying the Finance Committee had had their chance to produce an acceptable budget. The Executive Committee passed McConnaughay’s flat-levy unanimously.
"I am gratified that the committee unanimously agreed that we could not increase the burden on property tax payers," said McConnaughay. "I am just astounded that this tax hike plan was allowed to get this far and required the drafting of an alternative budget to protect the public."
The full county board must still vote on the new budget plan before it is final.
SOURCE: Karen McConnaughay press release
Read More
- Daily Herald: Kane County reverses budget plan, eliminates tax increase
- Kane County Chronicle: Board likely to reject tax levy
Jeff Ward
11:59 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
And this from the woman who's overseen a 50 percent increase in that levy during her tenure.
Folks! The source of Ms. McConnaughay's sudden fiscal religion is her immense desire to run for Lt. Governor.
Henry James
3:40 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Personally Jeff I really don't care why the reason, I am glad to see it. Since Ms. McConnaughay could just as as a laim duck and do nothing I give her some credit for doing this. In the end it is a win for the people.
Jeff Ward
3:43 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Henry,
I have no problem with that as long as you understand that Ms. McConnaughay has raised that levy by the absolute maximum for 7 consecutive years. And the fact that she's aspiring to higher office shouldn't mitigate that track record.
Your best bet in the fiscally conservative crusade is to vote for Chris Lauzen. When he says he'll keep the county portion of the property tax levy flat he means it.
Jeff
G.Ryan
8:32 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Let's hope they both follow through on this. These public officals should be taxpayer advocates. But I do wish the taxpayers had the rights to vote on issues that involve our funds and budgets along with their raises instead of these committee members. What other professions other than the government entities vote themselves their own raises?
John H
7:02 am on Sunday, October 7, 2012
We were suffering with high taxes long before this year. Looks like a big push to try to hope taxpayers forget the high cost of her administration, cronyism and yhe rest..
ken loebel
8:13 am on Monday, October 8, 2012
What is really unconscionable is that ficticious and imaginary assessed values are used to declare values of real property in order to continuously tax those imagined, fairy tale values, in order to cover the increasing costs on managing the operations of governing the municipalities, rather than actually managing the resources and driving operational efficiencies in governance. It is a known fact that the only real value is the purchase price. It is just a lazy way for those governing to dismiss their responsibility to manage the resources of the people in a manner that manages cost controls, rather than
G.Ryan
9:48 am on Monday, October 8, 2012
Mr. Loebel you raise a very valid point. Eventually, they will bankrupt us all with their trickery mathemical "tax to the max" scams. The fact that they have access to our funds like this and can attach any configuration system to it is a prime example of tyranny. I would like to know how they derived at this system along with the school district tax levy(the sky is the limit, spend, spend, spend with their union friends)( taxpayer's money) and you wonder is this even constitutional? I know it is not right and not fair for sure.
ken loebel
8:15 am on Monday, October 8, 2012
transfer the burder to tax payers, in the form of automatic tax increases due to ficticious values assessed on real property. We live in the most technologically advanced era in human history - we need to utilize technology more effectively in governance to drive down operational costs as well as administrative costs.
ken loebel
8:18 am on Monday, October 8, 2012
Of course, there are two or three factors, or levers, that are used, so even when an assessed value is kept flat or decreases, the other levers are used to provide for the increased revenue needed to pay for the increased costs - this is ponzi-like and needs open discussion in order to shift it to a policy that actually has integrity and offers tax payers a legitimate means to know what they are being taxed. Mill rates, levies, and adjustment facotrs are all manipulations that create lack of trust, show lack of transparency, and which dismiss the role of those elected to office to take responsibility to manage resources with integrity.