Monday, February 26, 2007

Peoria Pundit Gets It!

Commenting on a Peoria Journal Star article, the Peoria Pundit reminds us of a few facts about our property taxes (emphases are our own):
. . . Time and again, I hear elected officials brag about how they’ve voted to maintain or even lower the property tax rate. They do this even though their consistently vote to raise the property tax levy as much as possible without trigging a dreaded increase in the property tax rate. The reason people get property tax bills that go up is because property is constantly being re-assessed at higher values.

It’s such a con job. Were someone to sit down and devise a means to tax real estate in a way that lets taxes go up, but lets politicians claim they didn’t raise taxes, it would look very much like what we have hear in Illinois.

Oops! Heartland's Building Scheme Pops Above The Radar.


Could a property taxpayer revolt be brewing in Heartland Community College's heartland?

Bloomington-Normal voters, already anticipating a rather large increase in property taxes from a proposed Unit 5 school referendum (buildings and general funds) were stunned that Heartland's Board approved a $60 millions building plan without so much as a public input session at its last meeting.


The Bloomington Pantagraph courageously came out with an editorial slamming the plan, and the Pantagraph's editorial page has been flooded with letters to the editor.

Unit 5 Administration must be fuming at Heartland for raising the concrete pouring above the radar in this fashion.

Unfortunately, there has been no surge in candidates for the Heartland Board.

Note to Illinois Central College Board - beware public attention!

Here are some of the letters. So far there have been none supporting the building scheme:

Heartland tax hike unfair without vote

Public treated arrogantly by Heartland trustees

Heartland owes answers to taxpayers

Forget college frills; focus on education

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Quote of the Day


Bertrand Russell

"There is no nonsense so errant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action."