Rebates

Dear XXXXXX Family:

Thank you for reaching out with your question and comments below.  I understand often times candidates for election post misleading information on social media and the opportunity to clarify is appreciated. 

While I cannot answer how the other governmental bodies you mentioned achieved a surplus of collected tax dollars, I am aware that the rebate is not necessarily in response to the pandemic.  Entities (including these) have rebated money to their constituents previously by declaring a surplus, using tax dollars for postage and to calculate who/how much of the money to return.  Ironically, this usually occurs prior to reelection campaigns and the candidates often receive name recognition from the tax-funded mailers they send.  I suppose it is a matter of perspective—would you prefer they collect too much and decide when to rebate it to the taxpayers—or would you prefer they not collect more taxes than needed in the first place?   

Homer Township prepares its property tax levies in a manner that does not project receiving surplus tax dollars—we levy less than the estimated expenditures.  As this memo posted on our website indicates, 2020-Proposed-Tax-Levy-collected-2021.pdf (homertownship.com), the Township Board’s goal is to lower the Township taxes and this has occurred consistently since 2013.  In essence, we do not levy more taxes than are needed to maintain public properties and to provide anticipated services; therefore, there is no surplus of taxes received to return.  We believe this is the most prudent and efficient method rather than taking your money and later returning it to you minus additional expenses required to do so.  Although, perhaps the interest these entities earn for the year(s) they held the taxpayers money might cover those additional expenditures. 

Homer Township has NOT raised the Township portion of your property taxes.  They actually lowered the Township tax rates; paid off inherited bonds/loans; yearly abated the proposed tax for the Founders Crossing Senior Housing facility; and they do not levy a tax on three of six Program Funds maintained by the Township.  No tax is levied on the Open Space Program, Founders Bond payment and Founders Operating Fund—instead non-tax revenues fund these. 

Again, thank you for your inquiry.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Kindest Regards,

Pamela J Meyers, Township Supervisor
Homer Township
14350 W 151st Street
Homer Glen, IL 60491
708-301-4534
Fax: 708-301-7043
Email: p.meyers@homertownship.com