Donna J.: Unless we can educate the taxpayers it’s never going to change
Donna J. owns a 1,824 square foot Round Lake Park home that is currently assessed at $276,369.
Donna has paid $66,392 in property taxes since 2004.
“Do I see a benefit to how they’re spending it? Absolutely not,” Donna said. “I think they are wasting it faster than they can get it. They can spend the tax dollars and levy more increases. they claim it’s not much, but it all adds up.”
Donna is currently paying $11,787 per year in property taxes on her home, about 4.2 percent of the Lake County Assessor claimed value of $276,369.
Donna is currently paying $11,787 per year in property taxes on her home, about 4.2 percent of the Lake County Assessor claimed value of $276,369.
“How many people would be pushed into foreclosure? That’s wrong,” Donna said. “I am grateful that we can afford to fight [our property taxes being assessed wrong]. This makes me upset because how many people would end up in foreclosure over this because they didn’t know how to fight it. It’s terrible.”
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.
“The townships are spending way too much money and they expect us, taxpayers, to make cuts and come up with the money but they aren’t cutting their spending,” Donna said.
If Donna lived in Indiana the most she could be charged in property taxes would be $2,763 per year or $9,024 less than what she currently pays in Illinois.
"The county cares more about their credit rating and bond rating, but how many people are put out of their house? Unless we can educate the taxpayers it’s never going to change,” Donna said.
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