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How big is your property tax hike?
The new property tax bill showed up at the Smith household Friday -- which means other Evanstonians probably have theirs now as well.
Despite all the talk about a 7 percent cap on tax increases, our bill went up 10.47 percent.
(And that's full year 2007 compared to full year 2006 -- not the difference between the first and second 2007 installments. The percentage difference in the installment amounts is twice as big, since the first installment was estimated at half the full 2006 bill.)
How big was your increase and how are you feeling about it?
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Is it too late to appeal the increase in Assessed Value for my 2007 property taxes?
Thanks
Maybe this will make you all feel better. Looks like I'm single-handedly making up the shortfall!
My dinky Evanston house skyrocketed from $4,500/year to $10,500/year and all I've done in the past triennial cycle is put a new roof on. It's a 2-bedroom house with a first level that is slightly below grade.
I appealed the last assessment increase, with very little relief. I did get a $2100 Homeowner's (oh gee THANK YOU) exemption, but this is absurd.
I am tired of people complaining about their property tax bills - WE ALL PAY THEM!!!
Do some research and compare towns around cook county. You will find out that average property tax bill during the last five years for an AVERAGE single family house has not increased significantly in Evanston.
Most towns in cook county experience some kind of increase every single year. My 2007 bill has actually gone down by almost $100.00 this year. Also, pay attention to the pension numbers.
While the problem of pensions in Evanston seems to grow, your property bill will reflect that only small amount of money from your bill goes towards that cause.
Thus, unless you own one of the lake front mansions in town - I doubt that your property bill has gone significantly up this year!!!
Consequently, start enjoing the town and its diverse topography.
PS If you still think that you are paying a lot in your property taxes - well move to communities like Oswego, Naperville, or even Aurora and you will learn that an average property bill for a house that sells for approximately 289K is close to $8900 a year. Yeah, that is a lot my friends !!!
Sorry to bore you with tax complaints, but mine went up about 30% and this is after appealing our last assessment because it was totally out of wack with comparable properties in our neighborhood. They lowered the assessment and the taxes still went up.
You're right, many of these outlying areas have obscene taxes, but they also have outstanding schools and excellent park district facilities with community pools and such. You are comparing apples and oranges.
It's everyone's duty to pay taxes, but if they don't appear to be fair it's smart to investigate and appeal.
I am sorry, but ETHS is one of the best High Schools in the area. I think that we have plenty of parks district facilities in Evanston!!! Mean Duff, do you think that Naperville or Aurora has better Lake Michigan and beaches than Evanston??? I do not think so. What about the drive Naperville and Aurora people endure every single day in order to get to the Chicagoland area? Finally, what do you think you can get for 299K in Evanston??? Well, not much. Thus, I do not think we were comparing here apples to oranges. Evanston still is better deal in comparison to many outlying areas with obscene taxes... Are we ever going to be the most desirable/livable community in Illinois as Naperville is??? I do not think so - unless City of Chicago moves away from our south border. But, Evanston provide us with semi-urban community that many of us strive to prosper and live in.
I was born and raised in Evanston. Went to D 65 and ETHS. I also moved for about 5 years to the outlying burbs and now am back as a homeowner in Evanston. This is a wonderful, unique town to live in. I'm proud to call it home. However, and I think most would agree, there areas that need improvement. Schools being one. City budget management being another biggie. We are semi-urban and that creates issues not on most suburbs' radar. Apples and oranges seems accurate to me.
Anyway, I'm convinced that can happen, but until then I will complain about taxes being too high.
The reason your bill dropped is others picked up the increase - that is your assessment was under the median. Those who fall under will pay less - those who are above pay more, If it had been a straight increase to all property taxpayers - you would have seen the effect.
I was talking to someone today who owns a small house and his bill went up by $2,000. no mansion on the lake - his house is smaller than a coach house. He saw an increase well above the median. The house was purchase in the last few years.
My bill sure went up! It's 30% more than last year and I live in Evanston too. I did no major work on the house and my bill went up steeply!
Good thing Aldi is coming to town... We'll have to cut back in other places to afford these property tax increases.
My 2007 second installment bill came in the mail a few days ago. While the total tax before exemption has gone up a lot (15.7%), so has the amount of my homeowners exemption. My final tax bill after the exemption is actually 9.7% lower than last year.
In fact, since 2003 my final tax bill after taking the homeowners exemption has remained fairly consistent. For each tax increase my homeowners exemption amount has also gone up. As a result, in the 5 years that I've been paying property taxes in Evanston, my final tax bill has never been more than 6% higher than the year before.
i am new to this and evanston for that matter. we received our tax bill and noticed it did increase. after taking a closer look, i realized we dont have the homeowners exemption. how do i get this exemption?
please help..
thanks.
Reply:
You can apply for the exemption on the county assessor's website.
-- Bill
thanks for your help! i just applied.
joe
Let me address some comments that Junad makes about me.
" If you go to the meetings you should have some clue as to what is going. Not like other posters here (Who) appear to only look at their computers "
" Those that post Anonymous on any web site- clearly are not protect - if they are breaking the laws -
Or possible misrepresenting themselves as NU professors."
Junad, most - if not all - of the issues you address do not require presence at council meetings, and certainly do not require that I get up and speak before council. The budgets are online, the minutes are online, the meetings are televised.
Perhaps, like the retirees up in wards 6 and 7 who showed up to compain about the tower, you have plenty of spare time to attend meetings. That is nice, but I do not have that luxury. The last council meeting, for example, was held on the same Monday night as the season premier of 'Dancing with the Stars'. In addition, while I do not mean to brag, I am one of the world's leading authorities on Net Present Value and Urban Planning, and my work often requires that I travel to Stockholm, Tokyo, Harwood Heights, Cicero, Dubai, and other destinations. I do have some time to read and post comments on 'Evanston Now' while flying across the world in my private jet, but I cannot be expected to attend council meetings or committee meetings - especially during this current financial meltdown, when Bernanke and Paulson keep calling me asking for advice every 30 minutes. ( Reminds me of the Yom Kippur war , when Henry K. just would not leave me alone. Whenever I see him at our gatherings of past Nobel Prize winners, I always remind him of how indecisive he was. ) Anyway, the Civic Center is a dangerous site that needs to be torn down immediately. I would not feel safe in such a decrepit building.
You really do not understand local government - if you believe only retirees come and speak at the council --- I would suggest many people are not retired who speak -- they take the time out to go to the meetings. ( and do not watch dancing with the stars as you joke about )
Also all the nonsense you are writing about what you do - does not make up for you lack of understanding of what is going on in town. ( or for that matter in the real world )
Who - it just isn't going to the council, there is a great deal more information to be gather than what is on TV or the computer.
Your'e statement "The budgets are online, the minutes are online, the meetings are televised."
The question Who is yes the budgets are on line, but how the are spending the money is not.
Also just because something is in the budget clearly does mean the city is spending the money as it saids.
One of my favorites is years ago they were going to cut two positions in the Health and Human Services department - that gave out general assistance - that is the city would spend a $1 to give people $1 in assitance. What happen? The manager got up in front of the council and claimed the employees did other jobs and he could not let them go.
There are plenty of things in the budget that are just place holders that are misrepresentations of were the money is actually going. It takes alittle more than watching it on TV to understand what is really going on here.
Junad wrote:
"One of my favorites is years ago they were going to cut two positions in the Health and Human Services department - that gave out general assistance - that is the city would spend a $1 to give people $1 in assitance. What happen? The manager got up in front of the council and claimed the employees did other jobs and he could not let them go."
It looks like you are getting close to backing up your accusations with specific facts. Now let's see if you can follow through..
1. Who was the manager?
2. What were the positions in HHS that were going to be eliminated?
3. What was the patronage connection here. How were the two employees, and the manager, connected to any aldermen?
4. Which aldermen were involved? How did they benefit by keeping these two employees?
Most importantly,
5. Are any of the people involved (manager, employees, aldermen) still working for the city?
This is important, Junad. Enquiring Minds want to know about this rampant patronage and corruption going on at the (obsolete, hazardous, decrepit) Civic Center.
If you have specific knowledge of public corruption, it is your duty to let law enforcement - or the public - know what is going on, so the criminals can be prosecuted.
I recall that you ran against Tisdahl in 2005, Junad. My feeling is that if you have specific knowledge of corruption, and are unwilling to take action, then you do not deserve to serve in public office.
approx 14% - Bill while I can pay the bill - when we have council members who give us 13.33% increases in the budget for one year and have gold plated medical benefits, it is not the increase in the bill itself which is the issue. It is the poor management of the city by the council that is the issue.
Years ago I felt the city could cut the budget by 10% with no effect, but with pensiongate and the lack of fiscal management and the numerous patronage programs that exist, the only option is to have major cuts. Given the council members lack of ability, the mess will only get worst.
Junad wrote: "Years ago I felt the city could cut the budget by 10% with no effect, but with pensiongate and the lack of fiscal management and the numerous patronage programs that exist, the only option is to have major cuts."
Okay Junad, let's stay on topic but redirect it for a bit. Numerous times you have mentioned patronage in the City's programs. You have thrown the term around lossely before. Specifically which programs -- and perhaps staff -- are you referring to? I have been at enough meetings and hearings over the years and have had difficulty identifying this as an issue. Can you name 3 such instances, providing the details about how they are patronage? This should not be difficult because the details would, presumably, be public record.
If the answer is no, then I am going to ignore your complaint in the future. And assume that it has as much merit as your name calling.
Per you comment "I have been at enough meetings and hearings over the years and have had difficulty identifying this as an issue."
Since I do not know if you are a staff member, council member or represent a special interest, I can not be certain as to your motive, Clearly those with special interests can not see the forest for the trees.
If you go to the meetings you should have some clue as to what is going. Not like other posters here (Who) appear to only look at their computers.
By all means ignore what I am saying "If the answer is no, then I am going to ignore your complaint in the future."
If you are interested in the public interest as you may claim - then you were at the recent council meeting when the council passed their compensation - please tell me if you think it was oK for them not to discuss the fact that some of them are compensated at $17,000 per year extra in medical benefits. By the way they by-passed the entire discussion.
I guess you are like a tape record at the meetings - you are just recording but not picking up on what is really going on?
By the way - those in the know - and there are a few, have plenty to say about the patronage here and other illegal activities - they will come and talk to me about the problems - not everything can be printed on this web-
Also patronage is not always illegal - it just may not be in the taxpayers interest. There have clearly been things that are done legal here but someone has benefited at the expense of the taxpayers. It just was not done in our best interest. No one is giving someone cash - but there are other paybacks - ( If you don't think - so look at the 700 billion dollar bill just - pass and all the pork added )
IF you recently looked at the news - some
Anonymous poster created an issue with "Apple" - that person is now being look at for criminal charges. Those that post Anonymous on any web site- clearly are not protect - if they are breaking the laws -
Or possible misrepresenting themselves as NU professors.
I am not going to discuss details - that does mean they do not exist - People can come talk to me any time they want in private since they know who I am - I am not "Anonymous" Since you are at the council meetings all the time come talk to me!
By the way Bill wanted to know your property tax increase - since you did not bother to state it, we can not even be sure you live in Evanston?
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