No New Taxes

The village was created stating there would be no new taxes.  Taxes, however, come under many names.  They will be labeled permit fees, building fees and   Special Services Areas.  The village promised no new property tax, which would become part of your property tax bill, but did not mention individual fees. This seems to be a different matter.

Special Services Area is an assessment (tax) placed on certain groups of individuals for services rendered.  The Village can levy these when the need arises to solve major issues.  The assessments are added to the affected residents’ property tax bills. Evening Prairie's drainage issue is a prime example of this type of tax.  The county is willing to pay 50% of the cost.  The village because they have responsibility for the streets is willing to kick in $7,700.  That leaves ~$113,000 to be paid for by the citizens of Evening Prairie and other parcels from nearby neighborhoods.

Assessments may also be made to cover things like road repairs or for public safety.  One Trustees addressed the Village on how a former employer financed road improvements using a Special Services Area.  This could also include building a police department or Village Hall.  These assessments could affect the entire Village and would require a petition signed by 51% of the land owners in the Village to defeat.

Permit fees are directed to the individual property owner. These are added to the existing County fees.  The Village has added an additional layer of fees with no value added.  These include adding or expanding outbuildings, driveways and other property improvements.

Building fees are directed mainly toward developers.  These fees can be significant and the builders will pass the costs on to the new property owners.  The County will continue to charge their same fees.

The Village can implement 26 non-referenda taxes, that is, without your vote.  When you look at the continued comments by the village president, “If you want the roads paved in gold, you will have to pay for them,””...we are not providing a minimal acceptable level of service, with police protection.” You must ask yourself, whom is going to pay to take care of these costs as we grow un-accepting of our growing needs? You will. Unless you vote to dissolve this ill conceived experiment November 4th.

We cannot afford this unnecessary layer of government.
The Village of Campton Hills (VCH) has no value added.

The community, in which we find ourselves living, is modeled after another Illinois Community, Homer Glen, located in the south suburbs of Chicago. While Homer Glen, founded in 2001 has not instituted a real-estate tax to date. Both Communities have struggled financially. Each Village is just over 20 square miles in size. This is where similarities between these two communities stops.

The size of Homer Glens Commercial base is very large. (Click here to see attached partial  list of some of these businesses). The sales taxes that these businesses generate are what allow Homer Glen to pay for this added layer of expense. VCH does not, and will not have this income for years to come and will only achieve this tax revenue stream with substantial change of our community. The VCH has since its inception followed a path of annexation and zoning to allow for greater Commercialization of our community. Homer Glen has over 50% of the land within their boundary still available for development and also maintains a much higher residential density with just over 25,000 residents. This is nearly 12,000 more residents in a very similar sized area. Yet they have 50% of the land mass available to develop and a density of residents that is four times greater than our community. VCH has only maybe a hundred acres in Campton Township that could even be considered for Commercial Development. Years out, the Property that VCH grabbed along Rt. 47, may have some commercial significance along side Elgin’s boundary.

If we stay a Village, you will eventually have higher taxes and more Commercial development. There is no other option. But please, don’t believe just us, do your own research. However, please don’t believe everything the Village people tell you either. Look who is in power. Is any of what they are proposing, PRESERVING CAMPTON?  The Village people sold you on how creating a Village will preserving Campton. Please, get past what you want to hear and focus on; is it practical to have little to no Commercial Development, (without an influx of massive commercial development), being a bedroom community. What brought you and your family to Campton Twp.   

Pie Chart graphs VCH income/expenses