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If the new sales referendum passes March 19, McHenry County Board is NOT required to replace the property tax levy with the sales tax.
The original draft question was worded so the sales tax would “replace” the property tax, but the question was amended during the Dec. 17, 2023, Finance and Audit Committee meeting. Why would the County Board amend the question except to have the ability to keep the previously levied taxes on the property tax!
I recently learned from a League of Women Voters discussion that the county only levied at the maximum property tax rate for the Mental Health Board from 2012 to 2015. Since 2016, the county diverted property tax revenue that could have supported the Mental Health Board instead choosing to budget the funds for other county expenditures.
[ Election 2024: McHenry County vows to lower property tax levy if voters OK sales tax hike ]
In February, the County Board approved “emergency appropriation” for State’s Attorney Office and the Public Defender’s Office pay raises. About $629,000 in additional personnel expenses was approved. How will these raises be funded in the future? “I don’t know” was Republican Patrick Kenneally’s response to the question.
Approved in January was a seven-year lease for an “election center” in Woodstock: $2.1+ million in rent over 10 years, not including costs for renovations, relocation or maintenance. Mentioned was ARPA (COVID-19 stimulus) funds possibly funding the center for five years, but no long-term funding solutions.
Ask yourself again, why would the County Board amend the sales tax referendum question? Vote NO to a Mental Health Board sales tax!
Kelly Liebmann