Quote:
Originally Posted by sukwoo
Because that's what this proposal proposes.
From the article:
"There's a long list of border suburbs where property tax rates are double those of the city, including Cicero, Stickney, Bridgeview, Bedford Park, Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, Blue Island, Calumet Park and Dolton.(Suburbs that join the city would be able to keep their school districts, since those entities are separate from municipalities.)"
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Okay, you can reset/lower the tax rate to a consistent one for an entire 'greater Chicago', while maintaining the individual school districts...and potentially not just for real estate taxes. Because the individual suburban school districts are already doing better than CPS, so whenever a district tries to pass a referendum (like the recent successful ones in Brookfield, Oak Park and Evanston), the tax rate can theoretically not go up nearly as much if there is already a lower baseline because they are all part of a 'greater Chicago.' In Brookfield, for example, for the past few years there has been a decent influx of younger families replacing older retirees that have moved to the Sun Belt or passed away. The schools are overcrowded, so the $20 million referendum is to build annexes for the grade school and middle school. For close family members that live there and have two small children that will be going to those schools in the next few years, it will add $260 a year to their taxes ($7,000). But if Brookfield was part of Chicago, why can't that annual real estate tax be lowered by, let's say a conservative 15% (or more), while still maintaining the separate school district (Riverside-Brookfield)?