Floored by increase in property taxes

My wife, son and I moved to Des Plaines in May 2006. The taxes were reasonable and we really like the location.

We just received the latest property tax bill and almost dropped dead. Our property tax payment sky rocketed 52 percent and our home exemption went down.

I called the Cook Count Assessor's office and spoke to a case worker named Elaine who was very helpful. However, after she explained the fuzzy math and formula of the new tax code it didn't ease the pain of a whopping 52 percent increase in my property tax payment.

With foreclosures at an all-time high and still rising it irks me to no end that our elected county officials have the audacity to put this financial burden on the homeowners. I'm still shaking at the 52 percent.

I'm waiting for my appeals packet from the board of review to come in hopes of at least getting the assessed value down. We are praying the board of review will help alleviate some of the burden.

I feel so let down by our county officials that treat the taxpayers' hard-earned money like their own personal piggy bank.

Shame on all of them for the pain they have caused to me and countless others.

R. Engler

Des Plaines