Opponents of raising property taxes turned out in force Tuesday night to tell the Rock Island County board "no." Ahead of a vote on next year's tax levy, they urged board members to find other alternatives to raising taxes.
County Administrator Jim Snyder recommended raising the county's levy by 9 per cent, which would raise the yearly taxes for the owner of a 100,000 dollar home by 24 dollars.
Lucy Armstrong says government in Illinois is dysfunctional at all levels.
"How can we do this to the kids who are going to be here in this town and this community and be the future of the county ? We're just burdening them further with this insane taxation."
She worries she can't afford to fix up her home because of rising taxes, locally and statewide.
Russell Christ says the answer for Rock Island County's budget problems is not higher taxes, but lower spending.
"We don't need a zoo. We don't need Loud Thunder. We don't need a golf course. We surely don't need a nursing home - we can't run it - that's obvious."
And he thinks some county officials are paid too much, compared to officials in other, comparable counties in Illinois.
County Administrator Jim Snyder says the county is responsible for just 13 per cent of residents' annual property taxes. And much of the increase he recommends is required by the state - for public employee pensions, FICA, and social security.
