West Dundee says no to new tax

West Dundee voters roundly rejected a new real estate tax on the purchase of residential and commercial property.

According to unofficial tallies and with all six precincts reporting, 1,995 residents said no to the measure, while 1,138 said yes.

West Dundee had hoped to use the tax to fill an $350,000 budget hole.

The tax would have been set at $5 per $1,000 of the property's sale price, so the buyer of a $250,000 home would have paid $1,250.

Officials said the tax would recover part of the village's budget shortfall from dwindling sales tax revenue and stalled development - staff estimated it would generate $200,000 annually.

Other options were suggested, such as food and beverage taxes, but officials considered the real estate transfer tax the most fair.