No problem, just tack on the added taxes

I marvel each time we receive our property tax statement in the mail at the total lack of regard any of our taxing bodies have for the people that pay these exorbitant amounts.

The bill arrives. The taxes go up 6.7 percent, in our case equaling $968.12 and it's like "no big deal,"

I don't recall a referendum asking for a $309 increase from District 46 or a $352 bump from High School District 127. It just gets tacked on, with the first payment due June 2, a mere month from the date we received our notification.

It's expected that the $484 portion of the total increase can be handled with ease, all with less than 30 days notice. No big deal.

Our taxing bodies must figure that if you live in a particular ZIP code or school district, you must be able to come up with the increased funds on a moment's notice. If not, the attitude must be, "Well, if you can't pay these taxes, why are you living here?"

What else is one to assume?

Mayor Emanuel and the aldermen of Chicago quake in fear of asking their homeowners to absorb $500 over several years. No such qualms seem to bother our mayors, school boards, park districts and whoever else has no difficulty "just tacking on" whatever they feel they need to tack on.

Steve Sarich

Grayslake