Elizabeth H..: “If I could afford to move out, I would.”

Elizabeth H. owns a Colona home that is currently assessed at$127,253, according to Zillow.

Elizabeth took possession of the home about 38 years ago. She has paid $29,727 in property taxes since 2008, more than 23 percent the estimated value of her home.

“If I could afford to move out, I would,” Elizabeth said. “I would move out of Illinois completely. “

Elizabeth is currently paying $3,184 per year in property taxes on her home, about 3.2 percent of the Henry County Assessor claimed value of $97,410.

Elizabeth is currently paying $3,184 per year in property taxes on her home, about 3.2 percent of the Henry County Assessor claimed value of $97,410.

“I’d like to know what we’re paying for,” Elizabeth said. “I don’t see the raise in the taxes for what we’re getting.”

Indiana has a hard 1 percent cap on property taxes. This means local governments are not allowed under state law to charge homeowner’s more than 1 percent of their home’s assessed value per year. The average property tax rate for the state of Indiana is 0.89 percent. Meanwhile, the average property tax rate in Illinois is 2.3 percent.

“[A 1 percent hard tax cap] would be great.,” Elizabeth said. 

If Elizabeth lived in Indiana the most she could be charged in property taxes would be $974 per year or $2,210 less than what she currently pays in Illinois.

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