The real reason for rising property taxes

In the next few weeks various taxing bodies in Lake County (schools, municipalities, townships, libraries, etc.) will be voting on resolutions which will set the dollar amounts they need to fund their respective operations in the next year. The official name for the dollar amount they set is a tax levy. As far as property owners are concerned, the tax levy might best be called a Property Tax Bill because the entire amount of a taxing body's levy is paid from real estate taxes collected in the following year. Every taxpayer understands that our units of local government ask for more money each year. Taxpayers also need to know that the law allows local government to ask for more money regardless of economic conditions or whether property assessments go up or down. There is a misconception by many that property assessments create the tax bill that needs to be paid each year. The reality is that even if property assessments were decreased, tax bills would still increase as long as local government asks for more money. How can that happen, you ask? It is simply a matter of the Lake County Tax Extension Office following the law by increasing the tax rate in order to yield the amount billed by the units of local government. Property owners in Lake County are right to be concerned about the high levels of taxation they are made to bear on their homes and businesses. I believe there must be and I will continue to work for effective changes in the laws that effect property taxation. In the meantime, it is important to understand that property taxes are based on spending. If spending doesn't decrease, property taxes will not go down. In the coming weeks, if you want to reduce your property tax bill, visit with the elected officials that make spending decisions and discuss with them a reduction in their tax levies.

Ed Sullivan

State Representative

51st Legislative District