South Cook News

School districts take such a large chunk of property tax revenue in lllinois that putting a freeze on them would not address the real issue, Richton Park Mayor Rick Reinbold argued on a radio program recently.

“If the freeze were to fix the fundamental problem in how we fund education, we would probably be on board," Reinbold told Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson, co-hosts of "Chicago's Morning Answer. "Freezing it doesn’t fix it."

Proft is a principal of Local Government Information Services, which owns this publication.

| http://www.richtonpark.org/235/President-Message

Reforming the way school districts are funded is the best way forward, Reinbold said. 

School districts in most municipalities take approximately 70 percent of revenue collected through property taxes, but Richton Park is on the hook for approximately 88 percent, he said. 

Reinbold said Richton Park is fiscally responsible with the remaining 12 percent.

“We really do our best to stretch those dollars to pursue grant opportunities and to do things that need to be done in Richton Park, whether it be streets or infrastructure,” Reinbold said.

Reinbold credits the Chicago market for preventing a mass migration from his community despite the relatively high property taxes, but he also knows many people are staying because they can’t afford to move.

“There’s still a number of homeowners that are underwater,” Reinbold said.

High property tax rates also make it hard to attract businesses to the south Cook County area. 

“We’re competing with Will County and Indiana," he said. "It is a huge challenge."

Rising property taxes and a hostile business environment highlight the need to reform how education is funded, Reinbold said, arguing that without reform, residents will continue to pay the price.

“As industry leaves the region, that burden falls to our homeowners, and those taxes go up as industry either leaves or chooses to locate in an alternative area,” Reinbold said.