Lake County Board Member Dick Barr says it is time to lower property taxes and give taxpayers some much-needed relief.
In a video posted to his Facebook page, Barr explained how tax levies and individual tax bills are calculated. He said that taxes have consistently increased every year in Lake County for the last 20 years, and he wants that to change.
"[This would be] the first board in at least two decades to change the trajectory of property taxes in Lake County," Barr said in the post. "This is the first step in providing much-needed property tax relief to residents."
Lake County Board Member Dick Barr
| https://www.lakecountyil.gov/
Barr's data shows that the county's property tax levy has doubled from $80 million to $160 million since 2000. When adjusted for inflation, the increase is still an alarming 30 percent.
Barr said the hikes have come as both rate increases to existing taxpayers and new-growth tax levies. Barr is trying to convince his fellow board members to use the new-development tax levies to offset the taxes paid by existing taxpayers. That way, he said, the county maintains the current levels of revenue but the individual bills paid by taxpayers is less.
Barr is looking to introduce a "No Growth 2020 Property Tax Levy" amendment. He said this is the first step toward reducing property taxes throughout the county. He wants people who agree with his idea to urge their elected board members to support the plan.
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