Incompetence in government is costly

Let's make this simple so that a fourth-grader gets it.

Cook County got their tax bills out late last year because of problems with a “new computer system” costing millions in loans by our taxing bodies due to the delay in receiving their tax revenue. Our real estate taxes set by the Cook County Tax Assessors Office went up on an average of 40% with almost all appeals being rejected. This increase means all of our taxing bodies’ incomes from taxes went up 40%. Cook County still hasn't fixed their “new computer system” and has in fact no idea when it will be fixed and the costs for the “fix” are now estimated to be double previous estimates.

Loans again will be needed to cover the delay in receiving tax revenue. Now even before knowing how much additional revenue they are going to be getting from the 40% increase in taxes, our school districts are putting out additional tax referendums asking for hundreds of millions of dollars from us taxpayers.

Guys, is it too much to ask for just a minimal level of competency from your leadership?

Jack Halpin, Arlington Heights