Property taxes in La Salle County were (mostly) flat this year – Shaw Local

La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove owes $2,700 in property taxes this summer, but he isn’t crying — even though he’ll pay about $136 more than last year.

Grove is actually pleased because his tax rates slid and his home is worth more — and not all his fellow mayors can say that.

The Tax Man has come knocking and, while nobody likes cutting the big check, La Salle taxpayers have a bit to cheer. The overall tax rate slid about 7 cents and Grove’s home, for one, increased 6% in value. Only the library noticeably bumped its line-item tax rate (3%), putting Grove on the hook for $5.

“I was definitely pleasantly surprised to see my bottom line property tax bill,” Grove said. “The city has really been focusing on our portion of the tax bill to help our constituents, so I was cautiously optimistic, not knowing what other taxing bodies were doing.

“It looks like most taxing bodies did a great job holding the line.”

Most La Salle County cities did, too. Peru Mayor Ken Kolowski’s home value (up 3%) didn’t climb as much as Grove’s but his rates also slid a bit.

On paper, Kolowski seems to be paying more to City Hall, but look closely: Kolowski’s $174 line-item is for police and fire pensions only. City services are funded with other revenues and the line item for city services (not pensions) remains zero.

Oglesby would be singing a similarly happy tune were it not for a spike by Oglesby Elementary.

Mayor Dom Rivara will pay the county $162 more in taxes and, while that’s partly because his home values rose 6%, Oglesby’s grade school district raised its line-item. Rivara owes the district school $699, up from $595 last year.

Oglesby Elementary Superintendent Michael Pillion had warned last year the increase was coming, but also pointed out the rate remains historically low — second-lowest since 2008 — and that last year’s ultra-low rate was a fluke.

“It is also expected that the rate will go back down next year with TIF (Tax Increment Financing district) I coming onto the tax rolls,” Pillion said.

In Ottawa, Mayor Dan Aussem turned 65 and now is eligible for the senior citizen exemption, which knocked his bill down to $6,182 from last year’s $6,318. Aussem said he conferred with the city treasurer and where tax bills rose “it was mostly due to the increase in assessed value not so much by tax levy increase.”

Utica Mayor David Stewart also is saving a little money — he’ll pay $90 less than last year’s $3,027 — mainly because his home slid 4% in value. Utica’s tax rates were largely flat: Only IVCC stood out with a still-modest increase of 2.4%.

“Overall, yes, I am happy with Utica’s current tax,” Stewart said. “Last year, the Village Board decided to keep our tax levy the same as prior, and I believe it shows on the tax bill. We are currently the second lowest tax rate within La Salle County and we want to do everything we can to maintain that.”

IVCC’s rate increase also factored into a modest 5% overall rate increase in Streator and offset savings in Mendota.

Mendota township, high school and township road commission trimmed rates slightly. Mayor David Boelk is paying nearly $440 more than last year, but that’s because of a 6% increase in his home value. Mendota City Clerk Emily McConville said tax rates “stayed pretty steady,” thanks in part to a tax base that grew by nearly $4 million.

Marseilles Mayor Jim Hollenbeck’s home value was flat and rates ticked up by 11%, led by a 2.6% increase at City Hall.

“I’m pleased mine went up about $30,” Hollenbeck said. “What always jumps out at me is when I get tax bills at the beginning of a holiday weekend. Can’t they wait a week?”