One Illinoisan's Perspective On Property Taxes

From a letter to the Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, IL 60014: Outrageous property taxes

To the Editor:

My wife and I moved into our Woodstock retirement home more than two years ago. Last year’s property taxes were $5,099. This year’s were a whopping $7,259. That represents a jump of more than 40 percent.

We had moved out of a huge, five-bedroom home in Arlington Heights because we couldn’t afford the $7,200 property taxes there.

We left an area with great amenities, including the Lake County Forest Preserve only two blocks away, a beautiful park just three blocks away, and loads of nearby shopping.

I’m 64 and disabled. I thought moving to McHenry County, with its much lower land values, would equate to lower taxes. (I was wrong.)

We live in the smallest, three-bedroom home, with a half basement, on the smallest lot in our development. Yet, our neighbors, with much larger homes, full basements, and on larger lots, pay less than we do. Does this make sense?

I’ve spoken to both the county treasurer’s office and the township office, and hear the same “excuses” that my tiny home is worth more.

What can I do?

All I can afford to do is move to a much less expensive area, such as western or southern Illinois, or Iowa.

William Bodzioch

Woodstock