Karen B.: I’m wondering how long I’m going to be able to stay here.

Karen owns a 1,232 square foot, 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom Montgomery home that is currently assessed at $153,171.

Karen has paid $68,509 in property taxes since 2002, more than 44 percent the assessed value of her home.

“I’m wondering how long I’m going to be able to stay here,” Karen said. “It’s very discouraging. I had planned on being in this house a long time.”

Karen is currently paying $5,155 per year in property taxes on her home, about 3.3 percent of the Kendall County Assessor claimed value of $153,171.

Karen is currently paying $5,155 per year in property taxes on her home, about 3.3 percent of the Kendall County Assessor claimed value of $153,171.

The values have gone down [on the house],” Karen said. “I’m not ready for senior assessment yet so I won’t have that benefit for awhile. It seems to me that with Illinois politics that are just going to keep gouging to pay their bill and we’re it. The homeowners are it.”

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.

“[Moving] is something I have had to think about, but as long as I keep finding the money every year [to pay the taxes], I don’t know,” Karen said. “It’s pretty scary. For me, the 5600 is like a mortgage payment.”

If Karen lived in Indiana the most she could be charged in property taxes would be $1,531 per year or $3,624 less than what she currently pays in Illinois.

“I don’t think [our taxes are] being spent very well,” Karen said. “I feel like it’s out of control.”

To share your story with us, please send an email including your full name, address, phone number and email address to news@saveyourhomenow.org.