Crime & Safety

Palos Fire Referendum: Breaking It Down Step By Step

The Palos Fire Protection District is hoping to increase the tax rate to make up for a budget shortfall. Patch is setting out to walk you through the issue.

Fire District Information

 

Past Coverage

Find out what's happening in Paloswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

 

Find out what's happening in Paloswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Palos Fire Protection District referendum is wordy, a bit complicated and can use a whole lot of back-story. Here at Patch it's our mission to make your life easier, so as Election Day approaches we will breakdown the issues surrounding the referendum with a new topic each day.

I hope to clarify not only the actual tax rate issue, but also wider issues surrounding the district's financial position and the historical factors that led to this step. 

Each day over the next two weeks we will bring you at least one new post that examines a different angle. The hope is that you become educated about all aspects of the issue. If you have a question you want answered, let me know and I will be sure to address it. 

Here is what you will see on the ballot if you live within the district's boundaries:

Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Palos Fire Protection District, Cook County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.25% above the limiting rate for fire protection and ambulance purposes for levy year 2010 and be equal to 0.803% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2012? 1) The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recent extended limiting rate is $4,280,310, and the approximate amount of taxes extendable if the proposition is approved is $6,215,351. 2) For the 2012 levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single family residence and having a fair market value of $100,000 is estimated to be $82.50. 3) If the proposition is approved, the aggregate extension for 2012 will be determined by the limiting rate set forth in the proposition, rather than the otherwise applicable limiting rate calculated under the provisions of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (commonly known as the Property Tax Cap Law). 

Essentially, you are being asked to increase the current taxing rate from its current number of .557 to a new level of .803. In real dollars that equates to about an estimated tax increase of $82.50 per year for every $100,000 of fair market value of your home.

If you have a home worth $250,000 your property taxes will increase by about $206.25 per year, or $17.60 a month.

The fire district would generate an estimated $1.9 million in additional revenues per year. A later story will detail the planned uses of that money.

In April of last year .

The Palos Fire Protection District covers Palos Park and portions of Palos Heights, Orland Park and unincorporated Palos Township. The borders are the Cal-Sag Channel to 135th Street, and 76th Avenue to Will-Cook Road.

Check back each day for new posts. I will be adding links to all the stories to this page as well.

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