"Taxes in Illinois on income, sales, real estate and everything else are higher than 47 of the 50 states, with exorbitant property taxes easily the most onerous. But what rarely makes it into the script is a serious conversation about who doesn’t pay property taxes and why that sacred cow should finally be led into the policy barn."
No one should be exempt from taxes, including churches, Schools, or hospitals. Everyone should be included at the very same rate.
Riverbender
4 months ago
Why not add returning to the method of taxing farmground based upon its vlaue like the rest of us pay? Oh I know…the poor farmers, many whom are large corporations, need help.
In IL farmland taxation varies per acre by its PI (productivity index) soil type present as well as all of the local county governmental districts having their budgetary assessments. The first item is the state’s answer to your concern, the land’s productive value.
Exactly. This amount is,as a general rule, much lower than the computed fair morket value that the rest of us pay. It wasn’t always this way so why was it channged to give the farmers unfair treatment?
I think you’re comparing apples to oranges and wishing they were the same. Surely you can understand that business people—including farmers—have to have a reasonable certainty of sustainable profit. I’m guessing you might the property taxes for each square foot of your home’s property and that of the farmer should be same or close to it. That would bankrupt all legal farmer from day one. There’s simply not that much profit in it. Let’s say a non land owning IL farmer earns an average of maybe $10O per acre, and that’s more than both current and recent farming websites say… Read more »
So if a farmer, by your figures, has a 400 acre farm he is making a 160,000 profit per year. Based upon that I think he can afford to pay taxes just like everybody else in this state! I should add that if a more fair rendering of taxes would cause profits to drop then the market value of the farmground would drop; however I assume, according to you, Illinois taxpayers have to support the value of farmers ground in addition to footing the tax bills for them.
Well, that’s theoretically possible, but the $400/acre profit assumed the farmer owned his property free of debt, a BIG assumption. Also, that kind of profit would only be achieved on maybe 5% of IL farms. So, it’s a far cry from average. I haven’t a clue what you’d think a fair property tax levy would be, but the theoretical farm here probably pays somewhere in the range of $60-$70 dollars per acre.. Now, if you want the entire property taxes owed the mid-figure guesstimate is $26,000 this year and probably more every year thereafter. We’re talking about property here that… Read more »
I can’t address “theoreticals” and other assorted assumptions that seem to change with each post. Meanwhile every taxpaying individual is paying more because farmers do not pay their fair share and should one of them go out of business because of real estate taxes well they can join the crowd of Illinois businesses that have had to leave because of taxes.
Fed Up Taxpayer
4 months ago
Agree with hospitals. The only growth in this state seems to be hospitals. They take up way too much land to be exempt. Their executives make large salaries; they can afford it.
Just who do you think ultimately will pay those hospital property tax bills? Take a guess before you have a hospital bill at some point if this becomes the law.
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
No one should be exempt from taxes, including churches, Schools, or hospitals. Everyone should be included at the very same rate.
Why not add returning to the method of taxing farmground based upon its vlaue like the rest of us pay? Oh I know…the poor farmers, many whom are large corporations, need help.
In IL farmland taxation varies per acre by its PI (productivity index) soil type present as well as all of the local county governmental districts having their budgetary assessments. The first item is the state’s answer to your concern, the land’s productive value.
Exactly. This amount is,as a general rule, much lower than the computed fair morket value that the rest of us pay. It wasn’t always this way so why was it channged to give the farmers unfair treatment?
I think you’re comparing apples to oranges and wishing they were the same. Surely you can understand that business people—including farmers—have to have a reasonable certainty of sustainable profit. I’m guessing you might the property taxes for each square foot of your home’s property and that of the farmer should be same or close to it. That would bankrupt all legal farmer from day one. There’s simply not that much profit in it. Let’s say a non land owning IL farmer earns an average of maybe $10O per acre, and that’s more than both current and recent farming websites say… Read more »
So if a farmer, by your figures, has a 400 acre farm he is making a 160,000 profit per year. Based upon that I think he can afford to pay taxes just like everybody else in this state! I should add that if a more fair rendering of taxes would cause profits to drop then the market value of the farmground would drop; however I assume, according to you, Illinois taxpayers have to support the value of farmers ground in addition to footing the tax bills for them.
Property taxes are local. I am not supporting any farmers. The argument should be are property taxes a fair way to generate taxes.
Well, that’s theoretically possible, but the $400/acre profit assumed the farmer owned his property free of debt, a BIG assumption. Also, that kind of profit would only be achieved on maybe 5% of IL farms. So, it’s a far cry from average. I haven’t a clue what you’d think a fair property tax levy would be, but the theoretical farm here probably pays somewhere in the range of $60-$70 dollars per acre.. Now, if you want the entire property taxes owed the mid-figure guesstimate is $26,000 this year and probably more every year thereafter. We’re talking about property here that… Read more »
I can’t address “theoreticals” and other assorted assumptions that seem to change with each post. Meanwhile every taxpaying individual is paying more because farmers do not pay their fair share and should one of them go out of business because of real estate taxes well they can join the crowd of Illinois businesses that have had to leave because of taxes.
Agree with hospitals. The only growth in this state seems to be hospitals. They take up way too much land to be exempt. Their executives make large salaries; they can afford it.
Just who do you think ultimately will pay those hospital property tax bills? Take a guess before you have a hospital bill at some point if this becomes the law.