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Politics & Government

Talking Taxes: Property Taxes Affect Local Elected Officials, Too

Yorkville Patch skimmed the tax bills for 10 local officials - and one frequent candidate. You can probably relate to their situations.

If you’re frustrated that your tax bill has gone up or remained about the same as your home’s value has dipped, fear not: Many of your local elected representatives are in the same boat.

Yorkville Patch skimmed tax bills for 10 county board members, Yorkville aldermen, and District 115 board members – and one perpetual candidate. Two saw small decreases when comparing their 2010 tax bill to this year’s, while two saw small increases and five saw increases of 9 percent or more.

 

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Address  2010 Bill  2012 Bill  Change Percent 1414 Aspen Lane  $5,346.06  $5,135.72  $(210.34) -4% 458 Landmark Ave.  $4,018.16  $3,945.04  $(73.12) -2% 8270 E. Highpoint Road  $18,720.40  $18,931.74  $211.34 1% 204 Oakwood St.  $9,109.50  $9,373.08  $263.58 3% 216 W. Elizabeth St.  $5,075.88  $5,468.54  $392.66 8% 502 Red Horse Lane  $7,544.26  $8,175.26  $631.00 8% 7454 Audrey Ave.  $8,272.00  $9,027.12  $755.12 9% 61 Cotswold Drive  $6,386.60  $6,993.70  $607.10 10% 401 Heustis St.  $4,714.74  $5,371.06  $656.32 14% 903 Canyon Trail  $5,518.84  $6,419.86  $901.02 16% 498 Sunflower Court  $4,499.64  $5,413.64  $914.00 20%

 

Meanwhile, all saw their home’s assessed value drop in the same time period. Four saw their assessed values drop by 15 percent or more between their 2010 tax bill and this year’s bill. (We are paying taxes based on the 2011 equalized assessed value this year).

Find out what's happening in Yorkvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Address  2009 EAV  2011 EAV  Change Percent 1414 Aspen Lane  $77,800  $61,061  $(16,739) -22% 458 Landmark Ave.  $60,890  $48,437  $(12,453) -20% 8270 E. Highpoint Road  $288,688  $231,198  $(57,490) -20% 204 Oakwood St.  $130,440  $106,827  $(23,613) -18% 216 W. Elizabeth St.  $75,754  $65,241  $(10,513) -14% 502 Red Horse Lane  $109,675  $94,563  $(15,112) -14% 7454 Audrey Ave.  $130,912  $115,788  $(15,124) -12% 61 Cotswold Drive  $98,429  $88,098  $(10,331) -10% 401 Heustis St.  $70,791  $64,185  $(6,606) -9% 903 Canyon Trail  $81,390  $75,059  $(6,331) -8% 498 Sunflower Court  $66,206  $63,949  $(2,257) -3%

 

Yorkville officials cut the property taxes they added last year to cover bond payments for past infrastructure projects, but increasing levies for other government bodies all but negated that for several Yorkville residents.

For example, Mayor Gary Golinski’s tax bill decreased $88.36 in the last year. He’ll be paying $248.61 less than last year to the city, but $129.70 more to District 115. Meanwhile, his home’s assessed value dipped from $102,737 to $94,563.

Similarly, Ward 1 Alderman Carlo Colosimo’s tax bill dipped $81, with the city’s amount dropping $168.61 and the school district’s amount increasing $73.23. The home’s assessed value dipped from $70,965 to $65,241.

A smaller tax bill doesn’t always mean a smaller tax rate, though.

Recent County Board candidate Todd Milliron lives outside Yorkville, so his tax bill didn’t include the drop in the city’s tax rate. His bill went down about $88.90, largely because his home’s assessed value dropped about $10,300. The tax rate for every government body listed on his tax bill increased this year.

Life isn’t necessarily rosier in Oswego. Oswego School District 308’s tax rate is 6.65728 percent, which is about 12 percent higher than District 115’s rate of 5.91012 percent. Oswego also has a separate park district levying taxes.

County Board candidate Scott Gryder’s tax bill increased $186.76 this year for a total bill of $7,330. If he had the same house in an area of Yorkville without a special service area, his bill would be $7,033.69, or about $297 cheaper.

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