If you wanted an evening of entertainment without a $45 ticket at The Opera House, you should have been at the MCC Conference Center for the Bill LeFew Show. The conference center was "sold out"! SRO! Standing Room Only! Missed it tonight? Go Wednesday, July 23, or Thursday, July 24. 7:00PM. MCC.
Bill put on a good show. It's obvious that he enjoys a crowd, and he did a good job of keeping the crowd awake. The program, called "How to reduce your property taxes", followed a brochure handed out at the door by staffers of the County Treasurer's office.
The center holds 350, if all are in their seats. Tonight they were. Temporary seats and standees probably accounted for another 50-60. I was a little surprised that more people didn't yield their seats to those more senior or visibly disabled. Does courtesy not exist in McHenry County? It was touch-and-go as to whether MCC was going to permit those in temporary seats (folding chairs) to remain in aisles, but all were careful to maintain open passages in the aisles.
Bill started at 7:00PM sharp!, which was appreciated by all, and he quickly overcame the initial disappointment of some who had read his brochure before the program started. He spoke clearly and loudly, and the sound system worked well under the able control of the MCC staffer who really knows her business.
Bill opened the evening with, "I'm Bill LeFew and I think you pay too much in property taxes." That ought to get him a few votes! He said that his office mails out 150,000 tax bills each year and collects $740,000,000. Whew!
He explained "levies" - the monies that the local governments say they "have" to have - and what the three things are that affect your tax bill: 1) the communities' spending (the tax rate); 2) assessed valuation; and 3) the "discount" you get. Not really a discount, he said. What he was referring to was the range of "breaks" available, IF you apply for them.
Bill read the minds of many who wondered why the County didn't just adjust property taxes when a resident hits age 65. The County cannot gather age information when you buy your house. So, if there is a tax break when you are 65, you'd better hotfoot it over to Bill's office and tell him it's your birthday.
Bill gave examples of two county residents who didn't claim certain exemptions until they were in their 80s. Each paid over $40,000 in unnecessary property taxes, and they can't get it back.
Several times during the evening, Bill gave "his" office telephone number (815.334.4254) and told all to call him. "Call me directly; I'll help you." Will Bill get 150,000 telephone calls tomorrow? Put on some extra coffee in the morning. Okay?
When you get the postcard from the assessor in October, Bill said to call him. He will look up the tax bills of some (four?) of your neighbors so that you can compare them with yours. If theirs are lower, he'll mail you their tax bills, and you can go to your township assessor and request that your assessment be lowered. If they are higher than yours? Hang up.
I was a little uncomfortable with one piece of advice that Bill gave the audience. Some residents will qualify for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption. One condition is that the household income not exceed $55,000 (a number set by the State of Illinois and which changes each year). Then he mentioned that son or daughter who comes back home to mom and dad "to help out, don't you know." Since that child's income would be included in "household income", he suggested that child should get a P.O. Box. Wink, wink.
To me, that sounds like fraud. Not a good thing for a resident to get involved in.
It would have been better for Bill to merely explain that a child's income will be included in household income and that senior citizen might not qualify for that particular exemption.
One other area of caution, LeFew explained, occurs when a resident does his estate planning and puts his house in a trust. The County considers this a "sale" and all exemptions are wiped out. They aren't hard to get back if the resident is still the beneficial owner of the property; all he has to do is going in and request them again. But, if you don't, your tax bill will go up.
Nothing is retroactive, LeFew said. So call Bill and tell him your situation. Let him help you find out whether you can lower your tax bill by qualifying for any or several of the ten (10) tax breaks available. That number, again, is 815.334.4254
© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT
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