Huntley moves to freeze tax levy
The Huntley village board has decided to freeze its 2012 property tax levy to mirror the amount authorities asked for last year, officials said.
Village officials will ask Kane and McHenry counties for $3.8 million in property taxes between them next year, citing the economic downturn, its impact on property values, the state’s financial woes and ongoing concerns about home assessment inequities between Grafton and Rutland townships. Sun City is split between the townships, one on either side of the county line.
“This is a very unusual situation with Kane County and McHenry County assessments and people arguing their taxes and the bad economy,” Trustee Pam Fender said. “This is a whole nightmare of taxes right now.”
The board acted on a recommendation from the village staff that it keep the levy amount steady. The village received almost exactly what it requested last year. The tax extension amounted to $3.75 million this year.
In fact the In 2010, the board raised the levy amount 3.68 percent from the previous year. Documents show that the only time the levy dropped between 1999 and now was in 2009, when trustees asked for 7.22 percent less than they had in 2008.
But by deciding to keep its levy level, the village loses out on capturing an estimated $48,652 in taxes from new construction coming on line, said Jennifer Chernak, the village’s director of finance.
“We’re hoping our sales tax makes up for that,” she said, noting that General RV, a Goodwill store and that other businesses opened recently. “Hopefully, any businesses that come down the road with Route 47 being completed and the tollway (interchange), we’re expecting to make up any shortfall we might have in the tax levy.”
Trustees took a unanimous vote last week on the policy direction and are expected to take a final vote on the levy Dec. 8.