Schaumburg residents oppose $24 million tax levy

An overflow crowd at Schaumburg village hall Tuesday night proved that the shock of the village's first proposed property tax hadn't faded in nearly a month.

About 100 people packed the seats of the village's council chamber to express their largely negative opinions of the proposed $23.7 million tax levy. Meanwhile, another group watched the proceedings on an audiovisual linkup at the Prairie Center for the Arts next door.

Though the village board is scheduled to vote on the levy Dec. 22, Tuesday's hearing was the last real opportunity the public had to express its dissatisfaction.

"Your job is to serve us and I think you're hearing loud and clear tonight that people don't want this tax increase," resident Ralph Roller said.

The Schaumburg Business Association last week also expressed its objection to the proposal, a point taken up by several residents.

"I really have a problem with the statement that the businesses can take the burden of more tax," 39-year resident Bill Chase said.

Though Finance Director Doug Ellsworth began the hearing by explaining how Schaumburg's taxes from consumer spending had gradually diminished over the past decade, most in the audience blamed the current crisis on the village's own spending.

But the village did have a handful of defenders, like Deb Wilk, who said it was Schaumburg's high level of services that attracted her family in the first place and which she wouldn't want to see cut.

"My concern is for my property value," Wilk said.

Brian Burke, another 39-year resident and co-founder of the Schaumburg Business Association, said he personally believes every resident and business has a responsibility in the current economic crisis to pay their share for the services they receive.

Burke said Schaumburg firefighters once saved his burning house, and another time the life of his wife who was in anaphylactic shock.

Village Manager Ken Fritz said the property tax would move Schaumburg to just second place behind Elk Grove Village among the lowest municipal rates in the region.

He said residents can calculate the effect of the tax by adding another 8.1 percent to the tax bills they paid this year.

Levy: Add 8.1 percent to your tax bills