Schaumburg
Village’s first-ever property tax approved
As expected, trustees unanimously passed the village’s first property tax this week, adding about $252 to the tax bill for a home with an equalized assessed value of $50,000. The vote left both residents and officials frustrated.
“I have no say-so in what you do with that money; I never did,” resident Joe Librizzi told the board before the vote. “It’s not fair.”
Officials say the recession has slashed the income and sales tax revenue the village has relied on while costs for personnel, pensions and street repairs keep rising.
“We’ve cut $26 million since 2001 — 98 full-time positions, 38 part-time,” Village Manager Ken Fritz said after Tuesday’s meeting. “When people say we have to cut more, a lot of those cuts would have to come from police, fire and public works.”
The new tax, which will show up on tax bills next fall, is expected to raise about $24 million, with $15 million of that coming from owners of commercial properties.
— Graydon Megan
Arlington Heights
Tax increases spur no public comment
If the lack of comment indicates acceptance, Arlington Heights taxpayers have no problems with either the village’s planned property tax increase or its new utility taxes on gas and electric bills.
At a meeting this week, the only speakers against any of the new taxes were trustees. Joseph Farwell and Norman Breyer both said the money to be raised from the utility taxes should have been tacked on to the property tax increase, which would make the cost tax-deductible.
“It’s a mistake not to have the federal government share in this as it would if it were part of the property tax,” Breyer said. He and Farwell were joined by trustee Bert Rosenberg in voting against the utility taxes, which passed 5-3.
The 3 percent taxes on gas and electricity are expected to raise more than $2.5 million in the budget that begins in May.
The 2009 property tax levy, which will show up on bills next fall, adds about $47 to the tax bill for an owner whose home has a market value of $320,000. The increase is expected to raise about $1.5 million, most of it earmarked for pension fund contributions for fire and police.
Meanwhile, Mayor Arlene Mulder told trustees that the village’s largest hotel, Sheraton Chicago Northwest and Coco Key Water Resort at 3400 W. Euclid Ave., will close on Monday. Officials say that if the hotel remains closed for all of 2010, the village will lose about $400,000 in revenue.
— Graydon Megan
Park Ridge
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Defining at-risk, dangerous animals
Park Ridge is one step closer to an updated definition of dangerous animals. Aldermen this week gave unanimous preliminary approval to changes in the city’s definition of “at-risk” and “dangerous” animals.
*At-risk animals are ones that, unprovoked, bite or nip a person or other animal without breaking the skin; or have “a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack without provocation.”
*Dangerous animals are ones that, unprovoked, bite or attack someone causing injuries, or maul another domestic animal; trained attack or guard dogs — except police dogs.
Animals will not be tagged as at-risk or dangerous if they attack a trespasser on their owner’s property, turn on an abusive owner or menace another domestic animal in a dog park.
Owners of dangerous animals will have to keep them confined on their property and post “dangerous animal” signs, keep them muzzled or caged off property, and — for animals arriving after the changes are OK’d — cannot keep them within 500 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds or day care centers.
A final vote will be Jan. 18.
— Jon Davis
Skokie
$500,000 coming in federal block grants
During the past 36 years, the village has gotten about $17.5 million from the federal Community Development Block Grant program. Officials expect to add about $500,000 this year.
This year the money is being used to help low-income residents with home improvements, assist Niles Township with the purchase of a commercial freezer and for public improvements such as street resurfacing, and provide scholarships to assist low- and moderate-income Skokie families with disabled children.
Two more public hearings to help decide how to use the next grant are scheduled for Jan. 4 and Feb. 1.
— Tracy Yoshida Gruen
Glencoe
Property tax rise will be just a drop in the bucket
Trustees recently approved a tax levy of about $12.7 million. It includes a 0.1 percent increase for property owners, which will bring in only about $8,000. For every $100,000 of equalized assessed valuation, a homeowner will pay an extra 92 cents.
Officials say that doesn’t do much for the general fund.
“As a non-home rule village we’re bound by property tax caps,” said Village Manager Paul Harlow.
Trustees have discussed various ways to cut costs next year — such as reducing the scope of residential sidewalk snow removal and discontinuing the maintenance and snow removal of private streets.
— Tracy Yoshida Gruen