Comments on: Lawsuit over unequal property taxes https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/ Your Illinois news radar Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:32:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Sue https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219838 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:59:24 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219838 Rich- That is not what TRS posted on its website- The Board says contributions will need to be increased 300 million next year and 30 Billion between 2014 and 2045 Rich- That is not what TRS posted on its website- The Board says contributions will need to be increased 300 million next year and 30 Billion between 2014 and 2045

]]> by: Rich Miller https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219831 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:49:39 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219831 Sue, from what Schnorf says, the liability goes up, but the reduced interest means payments go down, so it's mostly a wash. We'll see. Sue, from what Schnorf says, the liability goes up, but the reduced interest means payments go down, so it’s mostly a wash. We’ll see.

]]> by: Sue https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219815 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:28:05 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219815 Sceaming Mad- Rich you need to open a new thread- TRS just announced its decision to reduce its actuarial assumptions from 8.5 percent to 8 percent resulting in an immediate need to increase state funding next year by 300 million and according to TRS' own announcement 30 BILLION over the next 30 years- How can a group of people not answerable to the state as a whole be allowed to have such a dramatic impact on the entire population- Governor Quinn- you need to fire the Board which still hasn't released its FY 2012 yearly returns and assign all investment responsibilities to someone solely responsbile to the Governor and hopefully you hire Goldman Sachs or Blackrock because the people you have now seemingly are going to handicap the state's finances to the point where you have no money for anything else Sceaming Mad- Rich you need to open a new thread- TRS just announced its decision to reduce its actuarial assumptions from 8.5 percent to 8 percent resulting in an immediate need to increase state funding next year by 300 million and according to TRS’ own announcement 30 BILLION over the next 30 years- How can a group of people not answerable to the state as a whole be allowed to have such a dramatic impact on the entire population- Governor Quinn- you need to fire the Board which still hasn’t released its FY 2012 yearly returns and assign all investment responsibilities to someone solely responsbile to the Governor and hopefully you hire Goldman Sachs or Blackrock because the people you have now seemingly are going to handicap the state’s finances to the point where you have no money for anything else

]]> by: thechampaignlife https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219799 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:57:41 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219799 Judgment, Psychologically, 10% might seem like a big number but the fact of the matter is that you're already paying that. You're just paying it as 5% income and 5% (or whatever the percentage is) property tax. If you still pay $3000 per year in taxes, does it matter if it's $1500 property and $1500 income tax or all $3000 as income tax? Bruno, I'm not arguing for elimination of local taxes. In fact, I'd argue that the counties continue to set the rates and collect the taxes for the locals. They'd just do it via income and sales taxes rather than property tax. Judgment,

Psychologically, 10% might seem like a big number but the fact of the matter is that you’re already paying that. You’re just paying it as 5% income and 5% (or whatever the percentage is) property tax. If you still pay $3000 per year in taxes, does it matter if it’s $1500 property and $1500 income tax or all $3000 as income tax?

Bruno,

I’m not arguing for elimination of local taxes. In fact, I’d argue that the counties continue to set the rates and collect the taxes for the locals. They’d just do it via income and sales taxes rather than property tax.

]]> by: Bruno Behrend https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219736 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:34:59 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219736 Judgement day, It is only a big number if you keep the level of spending the same. With so much ed $$ going to manage a completely unnecessary government entity, of course the state take-over of taxes would be huge. The answer is to abolish the "district" entity, make each school independent, and have the money follow the child. This reform would allow for massive cuts in overall spending while funneling more money into classes and schools. It also solves the "equal protection" issue. Conversely, there is no solution to that issue under a district system, as the bureaucracy destroys any real connection of money and children. (Chicago spends $12K/child. So what? It isn't spent on the child.) Of course, the labyrinth of complexity of the districts system (bonds, taxes, contracts, property, boards, special ed, state and federal mandates) are all designed to destroy accountability and efficiency. They are designed to over-employ adults, not educate children. Thus, any reform that entails cutting property taxes, entails a phased in re-write of the school code, effectively dismantling the failed district system and replacing it with independent schools. Here's a dated, but still essentially robust, way to do it. http://extremewisdom.com/wp-content/uploads/fundamental_execsumm.pdf As for getting rid of property taxes all together... It's not the best idea. There is some truth in the notion that local is better than state and federal. The way to implement the benefits of "subsidiarity" is to enact reforms that TRULY empower local citizens (not local Boss-Hoggs elected by special interests in off-year 5-8% turnout elections). If you got rid of school districts and their impact on property tax bills, the property tax issue would fix itself. Judgement day,

It is only a big number if you keep the level of spending the same.

With so much ed $$ going to manage a completely unnecessary government entity, of course the state take-over of taxes would be huge.

The answer is to abolish the “district” entity, make each school independent, and have the money follow the child. This reform would allow for massive cuts in overall spending while funneling more money into classes and schools.

It also solves the “equal protection” issue. Conversely, there is no solution to that issue under a district system, as the bureaucracy destroys any real connection of money and children. (Chicago spends $12K/child. So what? It isn’t spent on the child.)

Of course, the labyrinth of complexity of the districts system (bonds, taxes, contracts, property, boards, special ed, state and federal mandates) are all designed to destroy accountability and efficiency. They are designed to over-employ adults, not educate children.

Thus, any reform that entails cutting property taxes, entails a phased in re-write of the school code, effectively dismantling the failed district system and replacing it with independent schools.

Here’s a dated, but still essentially robust, way to do it.
http://extremewisdom.com/wp-content/uploads/fundamental_execsumm.pdf

As for getting rid of property taxes all together…

It’s not the best idea. There is some truth in the notion that local is better than state and federal.

The way to implement the benefits of “subsidiarity” is to enact reforms that TRULY empower local citizens (not local Boss-Hoggs elected by special interests in off-year 5-8% turnout elections).

If you got rid of school districts and their impact on property tax bills, the property tax issue would fix itself.

]]> by: Cook County Commoner https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219714 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:01:20 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219714 The plaintiffs lose based on a little known principle of law which states: "Fool, that's what you get for putting a McMansion in the middle of raised ranches." The plaintiffs lose based on a little known principle of law which states: “Fool, that’s what you get for putting a McMansion in the middle of raised ranches.”

]]> by: Anon https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219697 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:09:06 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219697 @walkingfool I don't think they are protesting the assessment. They are suing over the unequal tax rate. @walkingfool
I don’t think they are protesting the assessment. They are suing over the unequal tax rate.

]]> by: cermak_rd https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219696 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:08:59 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219696 I don't seen a court agreeing with this case. Even if it is unequal, plaintiffs can move to another school district and therefore get property tax relief. It's an issue of local control and the appropriate place to decide on changes of this sort is the legislative (and to some extent executive) branch of government. If you don't want the state of IL deciding which textbooks you are going to be using, don't ask it to be in charge of funding your schools. I don’t seen a court agreeing with this case. Even if it is unequal, plaintiffs can move to another school district and therefore get property tax relief.

It’s an issue of local control and the appropriate place to decide on changes of this sort is the legislative (and to some extent executive) branch of government. If you don’t want the state of IL deciding which textbooks you are going to be using, don’t ask it to be in charge of funding your schools.

]]> by: walkinfool https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219695 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:06:37 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219695 Individual house value assessments for tax purposes in Winnetka and Chicago Heights and Cairo, are a false equivalency. Each makes sense only in the context of its local marketplace. Otherwise we would have statewide residential assessments and one board of review for all of it. Thus there can be no reasonable claim of unequal treatment. Individual house value assessments for tax purposes in Winnetka and Chicago Heights and Cairo, are a false equivalency. Each makes sense only in the context of its local marketplace. Otherwise we would have statewide residential assessments and one board of review for all of it. Thus there can be no reasonable claim of unequal treatment.

]]> by: Esquire https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219673 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:59:46 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219673 Alexander Polikoff used to reside in Highland Park, but he was all over encouraging scattered site public housing for Chicagoans. Alexander Polikoff used to reside in Highland Park, but he was all over encouraging scattered site public housing for Chicagoans.

]]> by: Bigtwich https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219668 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:48:02 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219668 There were successful school funding suits in the 70s in California and New Jersey. Since then the issues has been raised in many states. According to "School Funding Litigation: Who's Winning the War?" John Dayton. Anne Dupre. 57 Vand. L. Rev. 2351 (2004), "To date, the highest courts in thirty-six states have issued opinions on the merits of funding litigation suits, with nineteen courts upholding state funding systems and seventeen declaring the systems unconstitutional." If Bush v, Gore had precedential value this would be an easy call, at least if any students were named Chad. There were successful school funding suits in the 70s in California and New Jersey. Since then the issues has been raised in many states. According to “School Funding Litigation: Who’s Winning the War?” John Dayton. Anne Dupre. 57 Vand. L. Rev. 2351 (2004), “To date, the highest courts in thirty-six states have issued opinions on the merits of funding litigation suits, with nineteen courts upholding state funding systems and seventeen declaring the systems unconstitutional.”

If Bush v, Gore had precedential value this would be an easy call, at least if any students were named Chad.

]]> by: Cincinnatus https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219655 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:16:18 +0000 https://capitolfax.com/2012/09/21/16582/#comment-11219655 Sue, The use of pension funds to promote a social agenda is scandalous. While inadvisable for all investors, it is even worse when public monies are involved, and the pensioner has no say over the portfolio. Here is yet another reason why people should control their own individual retirement account (along with the ability to will the portfolio to their heirs). Perhaps we can put wind turbines on top of those Fiskars, load them onto a bullet train powered by corn ethanol, and we can have the mother of all boondoggles! Sue,

The use of pension funds to promote a social agenda is scandalous. While inadvisable for all investors, it is even worse when public monies are involved, and the pensioner has no say over the portfolio. Here is yet another reason why people should control their own individual retirement account (along with the ability to will the portfolio to their heirs).

Perhaps we can put wind turbines on top of those Fiskars, load them onto a bullet train powered by corn ethanol, and we can have the mother of all boondoggles!

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