Laura and Phil Valdez
“Our property taxes are 12 percent of our income. And this is an unincorporated area.
“All our neighbors complain about it. People at work complain about it. You read so much about it. There’s a high level of frustration. Because they see what’s happening to their pocketbooks. They’re feeling the effects of it.
“On property taxes, it’s gone from frustration to fear. Are we even going to be able to sell our home when someone does the math on the taxes? Since we moved in to our house in 1999, the value is down $90,000 but the property tax bill has doubled. And that’s after appealing the valuation three times.
“It’s a continual mortgage payment that will never get paid off. And it’s virtually guaranteed to increase. We’d be shocked if they lowered the tax rate.
“[Local governments] always give you a sob story: the schools, the children, the elderly. I’m sorry, but we just can’t believe it any more.”
Laura and Phil Valdez
Sandwich, Illinois
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