Residents are seeing property tax dollars flow toward lobbying for policies that increase homeowners’ property tax bills.

Homeowners’ 2017 property tax bills (payable in 2018) outpace the state and national average, when measured as a share of home value.

The Lake County village will tap into its savings account to help cover the costs.

Despite living in one of the most overtaxed counties in the country, the Des Plaines City Council approved an $11,255 salary increase for its city manager, raising the cost of government even more for taxpayers.

Despite residents seeing some of the highest property tax bills in the state, the Wheeling Board of Trustees approved a preliminary agreement giving a developer nearly $7 million to build apartments and retail space in the village.

An investigation in December 2017 found that a convention for municipalities and public agencies ran taxpayers nearly $120,000 in exhibition and hospitality costs. A proposal making its way through the General Assembly would bar state funds from contributing to these excesses.

Local leaders are putting taxpayers on the hook for a development gamble.