Double-digit increases the norm for McHenry County tax rates
A number of taxing bodies in McHenry County are seeing double-digit increases in their tax rates, and McHenry County Clerk Kathie Schultz says that’s not surprising as property values continue to slide.
When property values go down, tax rates go up, Schultz said. Tax levies — the amount taxing bodies request — rarely decline unless loans are paid off. Those levies are used for debt repayments as well as operations.
“Taxing bodies have certain obligations that must be met no matter what. These were bonds that were approved by the voters and a lot of them were approved when times were very good,” Schultz said. “Now that we have gone the other way, there is some sticker shock.”
The tax rate for the Huntley Area Library District decreased by 11 percent over the 2010 rate.
“The library has been paying off a mortgage on the building, a bond, and the last payment was made in December,” said Library Director Patrick McDonald. “This next year we do not have to pay that mortgage or bond, so that comes off the books and the result is a net decrease in the whole levy.”
On the other end of the spectrum Elgin Community College saw a 27-percent tax rate increase for McHenry County residents thanks to a shift in the tax burden from Kane County to McHenry, said Sharon Konny, vice president of business and finance.
“Counties determine among themselves how much each county will absorb of the levy,” said Konny, who added the rate is determined to ensure the taxing bodies collect the total levy amount requested. “We do the levy and it is up to the clerk’s office to determine the rate.”
Estimates show McHenry County will account for about 8.5 percent of the 2011 property tax levy for ECC. The total levy for ECC increased more than 5 percent from $63.5 million in 2010 to $66.9 million in 2011.
The first installment of property taxes is due June 11, with the second due Sept. 11, 2012, McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew said.
Big jumps in McHenry County property tax rates
<b>Taxing body 2010 2011 % inc.</b>
Algonquin Area Library 0.4086 0.4582 12%
Algonquin Township 0.0577 0.0659 14%
Algonquin Twp. Road and Bridge 0.127 0.145 14%
Algonquin-LITH Fire District 0.6378 0.7212 13%
Barrington Countryside Fire District 0.4107 0.4316 5%
Barrington Countryside Park District 0.0339 0.0365 8%
Barrington Library 0.1948 0.2063 6%
Barrington Unit District 220 3.9499 4.3265 10%
Burton Township 0.0727 0.0841 16%
Burton Twp. Road and Bridge 0.0891 0.1031 16%
Cary Area Library 0.1849 0.2118 15%
Cary Elementary Dist. 26 2.9158 3.3759 16%
Cary Fire District 0.4101 0.4712 15%
Cary Park District 0.5752 0.6591 15%
City of Crystal Lake 0.2227 0.2739 23%
Community Unit District 300 4.4103 4.8406 10%
Crystal Lake Elem. Dist. 47 3.1075 3.4334 10%
Crystal Lake Fire Dist. 0.5348 0.5851 9%
Crystal Lake High School Dist. 155 2.0347 2.2979 13%
Crystal Lake Library 0.3145 0.3471 10%
Crystal Lake Park District 0.3758 0.4135 10%
Crystal Lake Rural Fire Dist. 0.4018 0.4032 0%
Elgin Community College 0.3782 0.4799 27%
Fox Lake Fire Dist. 0.3601 0.3823 6%
Fox Lake Library 0.2989 0.3285 10%
Fox River Grove Elementary Dist. 3 4.2207 4.666 11%
Fox River Grove Fire District 0.6228 0.6992 12%
Fox River Grove Library 0.4192 0.4674 11%
Grafton Township 0.072 0.0717 0%
Grafton Township Road and Bridge 0.0508 0.0506 0%
Harper College 0.3438 0.3549 3%
Huntley Area Library 0.2352 0.2086 -11%
Huntley Fire District 0.7182 0.7213 0%
Huntley Park District 0.3651 0.3747 3%
Huntley Unit District 158 4.8118 4.8291 0%
Lake in the Hills Sanitary District 0.0663 0.0702 6%
McHenry County 0.7927 0.8879 12%
McHenry County College 0.3039 0.3395 12%
McHenry County Conservation Dist. 0.1956 0.2191 12%
McHenry Elem. Dist. 15 3.4292 4.0161 17%
McHenry Elem. Dist. 156 1.7804 2.0927 18%
McHenry Fire Dist. 0.4598 0.4489 -2%
McHenry Library 0.245 0.2875 17%
McHenry Township 0.1323 0.1515 15%
McHenry Township Road and Bridge 0.2402 0.2732 14%
Nunda Rural Fire District 0.5344 0.6032 13%
Nunda Township 0.0799 0.0914 14%
Nunda Township Cemetery 0.0014 0.0016 14%
Nunda Township Road and Bridge 0.2375 0.2715 14%
Village of Algonquin 0.5198 0.5681 9%
Village of Barrington Hills 1.2905 1.2831 -1%
Village of Bull Valley 0.4718 0.52 10%
Village of Cary 0.4088 0.4672 14%
Village of Fox Lake 0.6343 0.6823 8%
Village of Fox River Grove 0.5898 0.6598 12%
Village of Huntley 0.4714 0.478 1%
Village of Island Lake 0.5037 0.5807 15%
Village of Lake in the Hills 0.7632 0.7863 3%
Village of Lakemoor 0.3292 0.3644 11%
Village of Oakwood Hills 0.377 0.4312 14%
Village of Port Barrington 0.2501 0.2899 16%
Wauconda Area Library 0.3676 0.4101 12%
Wauconda Fire District 0.4798 0.5294 10%
Wauconda Unit Dist. 118 4.7935 5.3526 12%
Source: McHenry County Clerk