Taxes too high, vote against refs

Are you having difficulty in meeting those everyday bills?

I suspect so, especially those out of work, earning low salaries and seniors on fixed incomes. The cause of this problem is complex, but its catalyst is the greediness of major corporations and our public officials.

Almost every day you can read in the newspapers that our officials are asking us for more money for expansion one way or another. One would think they should be trying to economize instead of digging further into our pockets, especially in today's economic environment.

Here, in Grant Township there are three referendums on the Feb. 5 ballot that will lead us to higher taxes when we already pay far too much property tax anyway. The public institutions obtain all kinds of grant money from federal, state and other organizations that the taxpayer is unaware of. When do you see a full explanation of the true cost of running an organization and the real money coming in … never!

Grant Community High School is on the ballot for a building expansion that apparently involves "no tax increases" because it has a building bond. Perhaps the bond will not cause an instant tax increase, but what will cause an increase is the extra cost of maintenance, an increase of employee salaries, and overhead such as insurance.

Fox Lake Library is also on the referendum seeking for an increase to substantially expand the building that will also lead to further tax increases, as in the foregoing paragraph. The fact is that there is no current need for an expansion; it's plenty large enough. Every time I visit the library, there are not that many people occupying it and its contents are adequate enough.

Then there is the continuing tax saga of Big Hollow School District 38. They have been soundly beaten several times already, and the last time tried the tactic of scaring the taxpayer by stating the state could take over the finances and thereby raising taxes horrendously. You never see an explicit accounting report of the running expenses and income, and the breakout of capital expenditure.

Separately, it was reported in the Daily Herald on Nov. 27, 2007 that the Citizens Action Project was holding a public meeting in Grayslake titled "What Your Township Assessor Doesn't Want You to Know." In July CAP published a white paper stating there are serious problems in the Lake County assessment system that results in inaccurate assessments, lack of due process and uneven treatment of similar properties. Having dealt with what I consider to be an uneven treatment of similar property myself, I can say that in my opinion there is no integrity in the Grant Township assessments where I live.

If you think you are going to be paying too much tax resulting from the referendums, then vote no.

It you think you are paying too much property tax in Grant Township, I urge you to challenge your assessment.

James V. Smith

Volo