Where Is The Public At Public Meetings

It’s tax levy season in Geneva and where is everybody?  They certainly aren’t at local public board meetings?  It’s gotten to the point that local newspaper reporters aren’t even showing up. 

Do you know that every local taxing body has to set their tax levy for 2014 by the last Tuesday in December?  Complaining about your tax bill on May 1st makes no sense because those tax decisions are being made right now.  I have decided to attend as many local tax levy hearings as possible before boards take their final votes.  The Geneva School Board voted on their resolution November 11th with a final vote scheduled for December 9th.  The Library Board voted on their tax levy last night.  Geneva Township may have voted last night also.  The Park District & City of Geneva have made recommendations and both are scheduled for final votes on December 9th.

The School Board meeting of November 11th was well attended with about 25 people in the audience.  The Park District meeting this past Monday had two non-staff, non-board members in attendance.  The Library meeting last night had one non-staff, non-board member in attendance.  Don’t know the result of the Township meeting because I couldn’t be at two places at the same time.  No “news reporter” attended the Park or Library meetings this week. 

So the question is … why don’t taxpayers attend these meetings.  Watching them on video is no excuse because only the City meetings are broadcast lives.  Are people afraid to speak about increasing taxes?  Do they think their voice won’t be heard?  Are they aware these meetings are taking place?  Have they given up?

I would like the residents of Geneva to take a little test.  Please answer the following ten questions about our local government.  Please write your answers down somewhere and just leave a note in the comment section that you have answered the survey.  This is just to see how many people take the time to answer the questions.  I will post the answers in the comment section at noon tomorrow (Saturday). 

1. How many local taxing body meetings have you attended in person since January 1, 2013?
2. If you are resident of the City of Geneva, how many taxing bodies appear on your yearly real estate tax bill?
3. For residents of the City of Geneva, what is the Prairie State Project?
4. How many miles of road is the Geneva Township Highway Commissioner responsible for maintaining?
5. How much are the Park District Board members paid each year from the Park District?
6. What large housing development has a Geneva mailing address but is not in the city of Geneva but is in the Geneva 304 School District?
7. What is the maximum percent increase in the tax levy allowed this year under the P-Tell law (as known as Tax Cap)?
8. Beside the allowable tax levy increase, what two other things make up your real estate tax bill?
9. Since your 2010 real estate tax bill, how much has your home’s assessed value increased or decreased?  How much have your taxes increased or decreased?  This information can be found on your 2010 and 2012 tax bill.  Both answers are in the column on the far right of your bill
10. Why has your home value decreased while your taxes have increased? 

Bonus question:  If you are in the Geneva 304 Community School District, did you know that the District Superintendent’s current contract provides him $800 per month in undocumented travel allowance within the Kane County Regional School District area?  Did you know the School District provided him a 2-year interest free car loan in the amount of $4,300?  Do you think those benefits are justified? 

I hope that you will decide to answer the 11 questions listed above but more importantly, I hope you make the commitment to attend just 3 board meetings in 2014.