2012 Second Installment Property Tax Bill

[Evil T]

Today, I received my property taxes that are now more than $8,100.00 a year. So my home value is declining or flat lining but my taxes are heading into the stratosphere! When I moved to Berwyn in 2000 my taxes were about $3,400.00 a year. As a comparison my brother's property taxes in Chicago were about $3,300.00 in 2000 and are about $4200 today while mine in Berwyn have more than doubled and I have to pay for garbage pick up!

The assessor had submitted my request for an appeal, however, my appeal was denied.
Is there an end in sight as to how high these taxes will go?

Regards,
Evil T

[psychomom]

When we moved to Berwyn in 1993 our taxes were around $1200 now they are over $4100 .....for a dinky little bungalow less than 1000 sq ft......appraised at $100,000 last year when we wanted to refinance. (It was valued over $200,000 several years ago)

Our appeal was denied too.

[watcher]

Is there an end in sight as to how high these taxes will go?
Regards,
Evil T

No end in sight, but a psychological breaking point is imminent.

[psychomom]

Just got my tax bill.....went up to $4266.....almost to $4300.....right..no end in sight

[Evil T]

After I received my huge tax bill today, I learned that Bernie's (aka Bear) house on the 3300 block of Kenilworth has sold for less than $100,000.00. So home value down and taxes up!

Evil T

[MindoverMatter]

Received mine, and it was about $300 less.

[Ted]

Received mine, and it was about $300 less.

Do you live north of  Cermak or south of Cermak?

[MC]

Wow evil T, $8100!  That doesn't seem right.  Most people in our neighborhood would have trouble paying that along with all their other bills.  I would demand an explanation why they're so high.  Mine are under $5000 and when I first moved here about 10 years ago they started at around $4000. 

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

Even with a reduction from the board of review we are down only $200 from $6800 to $6600 which still is way too high.  I did notice the tax rate for South Berwn is higher than North Berwyn.  The only difference could be either the park district or School District 100.  Me thinks it must be the school district which again leads me to believe a referendum to increase the tax rate for District 100 will have a very hard time passing.

[Ted]

Even with a reduction from the board of review we are down only $200 from $6800 to $6600 which still is way too high.  I did notice the tax rate for South Berwn is higher than North Berwyn.  The only difference could be either the park district or School District 100. Me thinks it must be the school district which again leads me to believe a referendum to increase the tax rate for District 100 will have a very hard time passing.

The difference is due to the school districts.  Last year, both D98 and D100 residents were paying 60 cents per $100 of equalized value to pay off the school district's debt.

This year, D98's debt tax rate is now zero and D100 debt tax rate has increased from 60 cents to 71 cents per $100 of equalized value.

In other words, the tax rate in D98 has decreased by 60 cents (before EAV re-formulation) because the debt is paid off.  The D98 tax rate, before EAV re-formulation, dropped by 16%.

  Nice bonus for the tax payer who lives north of Cermak.

  To paraphrase Richard Nixon, District 100 board members won't have District 98's tax rate to kick around any more... LOL

[buzz]

In other words, the tax rate in D98 has decreased by 60 cents (before EAV re-formulation) because the debt is paid off. 

that is so un-American

[Sandy]

You are all just sorry that you bought into the hype that the south side is better than the north. Sorry, we are truly the best of Berwyn. 

[Ted]

The nice thing about D98's situation is that now 100% of people's tax dollars will go toward educating kids rather than have only 70% of tax dollars going toward education and 30% going toward paying off the debt.

That is why I hope the D100 board does not follow Stan Fields' proposal to circumvent the debt limit and issue another $15 million dollar bond.

D100 is current $3 million dollar over the debt limit set by state law.  Yet, Stan Fields is trying to convince the board to break the law, circumvent the debt limit and issue even more debt that will increase taxes and increase the total debt by 70%.

I would rather see my tax dollars going toward educating kids rather than paying off an exorbitant debt.

[watcher]

I would rather see my tax dollars going toward educating kids rather than paying off an exorbitant debt.

And I would rather live in a mortgage free home. AISI, the problem with our tax/revenue/debt go-round is what our money buys and how it buys it. We've both been looking at public spending in general and schools in particular for a long time. There's a risk of becoming totally cynical and jaded about things when you're sifting through a pile of shit that high.

Would that the processes were far simpler and straightforward and transparent and explained. "It's complicated" is never an acceptable answer to questions from the public. Marginalizing and demonizing anyone who dares ask questions, to avoid answering those questions is a great PR strategy, but not actually acting for the public good or fulfilling the duties of an elected/appointed position.

For me the most frustrating aspect of our education situation is that very well paid people in education completely FAIL to educate the public about what's being done and why. If they can't explain it, how can they possibly be taken seriously as educators? It's called PUBLIC education. That doesn't stop at the school walls.

Nothing in our present funding framework enhances the public's knowledge and/or understanding.  That makes the whole system suspect. Active undermining efforts have been at work, in earnest, for 30 years, and there's been no effort to counter the attacks. I think the public would fight back if called upon, but that's a tough sell when working from a bunker.

[Bonster]

Today, I received my property taxes that are now more than $8,100.00 a year. So my home value is declining or flat lining but my taxes are heading into the stratosphere! When I moved to Berwyn in 2000 my taxes were about $3,400.00 a year. As a comparison my brother's property taxes in Chicago were about $3,300.00 in 2000 and are about $4200 today while mine in Berwyn have more than doubled and I have to pay for garbage pick up!

The assessor had submitted my request for an appeal, however, my appeal was denied.
Is there an end in sight as to how high these taxes will go?

Regards,
Evil T

How much is your homeowner's exemption?

[Bonster]

You are all just sorry that you bought into the hype that the south side is better than the north. Sorry, we are truly the best of Berwyn. 

LOL!!




My taxes went down, no appeal, to $3070. 


North Berwyn ain't so bad, after all. 

[OakParkSpartan]

I think the former school board president Tony Laureto deserves a lot of credit for keeping the debt low and trying to pay it off.

[buzz]

Didn't Fields "volunteer" his services to D98 last year; proposing that he would oversee both D100 and D98 ?
Or was that just a rumor ?

[Ted]

I think the former school board president Tony Laureto deserves a lot of credit for keeping the debt low and trying to pay it off.

I think John Belmont (former superintendent) also deserves a lot of credit.  The board set a goal to pay off the debt by 2013 and they achieved that goal.  Now the tax payers in north Berwyn are reaping the benefits.

  D98 also has lived within a balanced budget (although I haven't examine the D98 budget in about 3 years).  They consistently have had a balanced budget.

It is interesting to compare where D98 is financially to where D100 is financially today. The districts adopted 2 different strategies in regards to finances.

D100, under Stan Fields, adopted the strategy of maxing out the debt, hiring more people in non-essential positions and now turning around and askingthe tax payers for a tax rate increase

D98 took the approach of living within a balanced budget and paying off the debt early.

  It will be interesting to see if the D100 approach of maxing out the debt and spending more money will show significant differences in education than in D98.

  To do that, I think you have to compare like schools - Jefferson to Piper or Komensky to Havlicek.  Emerson is always going to come out high but it also has the most affluent parents.

[Ted]

Didn't Fields "volunteer" his services to D98 last year; proposing that he would oversee both D100 and D98 ?
Or was that just a rumor ?

That was a Bob Pauly rumor.  I think there are people in north Berwyn who are glad that that didn't happen.