Geneva residents discuss property taxes

Submitted by GenevaTaxFACTS

GenevaTaxFACTS, a volunteer group of Geneva residents, will host a Community Town Hall Meeting from 6:45 to 9 p.m. Monday, June 4 at the First Baptist Church’s east campus, 2300 South St., Geneva. Use the front entrance on South Street.

The group will present a quick overview of the financial situation of the Geneva Unit District 304 and how property taxes could be affected over the next 10 years. Attendees will be encouraged to share their opinions, ask questions and begin the process of suggesting solutions. All local residents are welcome.

“There is serious concern among many in the community of how long they will be able to continue to afford to live in Geneva. The combination of increased property taxes, lower home values and future debt repayment has created a financial burden on many families,” said Bob McQuillan, one of the four founders of the group. “There is no question that every resident supports a quality education, but at some point the community has to question, ‘at what cost?’ I believe there is a real need for an open meeting where different views can be expressed and questions can be answered. To date, that has not occurred. The town hall format allows for all interested residents to come together, understand the issues we face and find common goals that we can use to help meet the challenges ahead.”

GenevaTaxFACTS was formed in August 2008 by Geneva residents to understand the operations of all Geneva taxing bodies and present the facts to the community. The group has closely monitored spending of District 304, which comprises about 69 percent of a homeowner’s property tax bill. Its website, genevataxfacts.org, includes videos with links to school board meetings.