“It doesn’t take a majority to win, just a tireless minority that will keep starting brush fires in the mind and hearts of their fellow men.”

Samuel Adams

Thursday, November 29, 2012

L-P Board Looking At Raising Property Taxes



Posted by wlpo on November 28, 2012

It’s not exactly a fiscal cliff but the L-P High School part of property tax bills is headed up.

The L-P School Board Wednesday night passed a tentative tax levy where the rate per 100 dollars assessed valuation goes up from $1.84 to $1.89. Despite the proposed increase, Superintendent Steve Wrobleski says L-P has the fourth lowest tax rate out of 26 school districts in La Salle County.

The school district wants to collect over $8.3 million in property taxes next year, nearly 400 thousand dollars more than they got in property taxes this year.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sure, increase our taxes so you can get that new sport's complex. Is anyone else upset that we have to constantly pay for those who don't know how to live within their budget? And those that want, want, want, and use our money to get but don't ask our opinion. Enough with the tax increases. Quite spending beyond your means!!

Cecil said...

400k won't pay for a sports complex but it will probably pay to repair a worthless organ.

Anonymous said...

That organ is not worthless. It's amazing!

Anonymous said...

Get a grant from ill. so they can go futher in debt . Maybe teach the kidds how to count real change without a computer ! They brought people to ivcc from chicago and look at our citys now ! Now they bring chicago to lp high , whats next ? Just piss more people off and divide the citizens . You want a sports complex , then raise the fee's of people who have kidds at lp and leave the rest of us alone !

Anonymous said...

JUNK THE ORGAN!!!!

Peru Town Forum said...

The organ and the entire high school are a symbol of inspiration to many in those community. I hope that those who want to junk the organ, don't want to use the money for a Sports Complex. As long as most of the tax payers of these towns supporting the high school do NOT support spending our money on a new complex, it should not be built. And taxes should not be raised to support it either. It looks like perhaps we need new school board members at the H.S. also.

Peru Town Forum said...

correction: "in this community"

Cecil said...

10:30...if that organ is/was so amazing why didn't the appraiser offer to 'take it off our hands'?
It hasn't worked for years and administrators didn't even know it was there, so how important is it to the school? Maybe you should buy that amazing organ. And you better do it before the school board tears down the school and builds their mega-school out in the boonies. Maybe the school should call Hard Core Pawn and see what they would offer for it. Let's quit wasting money and teach the kids the right things and get all to graduate.

Peru Town Forum said...

Cecil,
I would not want taxpayers to pay for whatever the organs needs, it should all be private donations. In fact, my husband has a nephew who asked whether we thought a concert given by him and a few others could raise money for it, would there be enough interested people to attend.

Anonymous said...

You have no idea what a treasure that organ is. There are only a few in the world. It's worth a lot!

Brian Foster said...

The organ should be sent to a proper museum. Either the Smithsonian, or the Museum of Science and Industry.

Anonymous said...

After reading through the comments it occurred to me that everyone is so fearful of the sports complex and taxes, and yet taxes are not being increased to fund this. The increase in the LP tax levy has nothing to do with the sport complex or the organ. Whatever your opinions on either of these things neither are resulting in a tax increase.

Anonymous said...

hi cecil no need to call hard core pawn we have peru pawn in town i have a suspicion that guy could not only buy the organ but the whole school

Brian Foster said...

The pipe organ and the sports complex indicate that the Board of Education does not value the money received from tax payers at all levels. Astonishingly enough, people within the “Education Industry” still think there is an unlimited supply of money. LP is concocting a plan to use a Tax Increment Finance District to pay for an unnecessary facility. I don’t fully understand TIF’s, but isn’t the point to take the additional tax generated and use it to pay for an improvement? I don’t see how a high school sports complex is going to attract commercial development which is necessary to increase the value of the surrounding land. Meanwhile, all the taxpayers will bear the burden of the bond issue. Then there is the State Grant pipedream. These grants are going to become almost impossible to get unless the zip code is in the greater Chicago area. Meanwhile, our legislature is confronting the pension problem. LP needs to figure out how this district is going to fund teacher pensions without the State of Illinois. All said, the LP BoE is operating under a grossly obtuse set of priorities.

Anonymous said...

4:49 It is nice to see that there is at least one person out there who understands the situation. WELL SAID!

Anonymous said...

THE COST TO MAINTAIN A SPORTS COMPLEX WILL RAISE TAXES ALONE!!!! Organ, possibly the company who is hired to restore organ would cut their
Costs in half in lieu of an award to a band student with the restoration company as the donator. Ex: trophy, plaque. Restoration company use as a write off on taxes. The estimated restoration cost is terribly high. I would assume that doors at the restoration company aren't being knocked down for services.

Anonymous said...

For all of you unhappy taxpayers out there: There is a facebook page with the name "Destroy the Vision. Take Back Our School". Feel free to stop by and voice your opinion. Elections are right around the corner and changes must be made!

Anonymous said...

There you go. Run an anonymous Facebook page to criticize every move. That is the modern way. Don't talk to anyone or present a coherent argument. Just whine and complain with a Facebook page or blog and pretend that you are somehow relevant with a bunch of similar posters who feel empowered by anonymity.

Have you contacted the school district? Talked to the superintendent or board members? I am guessing not.

Anonymous said...

Have any of the board members or superintendent contacted this blog stating their position? I am guessing not. They can you know.

Anonymous said...

Did you listen to WLPO and the interview? If not, call and maybe they will replay.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Stanley of the Ottawa Times has a interesting article on the history of Peru in today's paper.

Peru Town Forum said...

8:16 PM

Thank you for letting us know about the article, very interesting.

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting how 2:21 can criticize anonymity yet you post as an anonymous user. Seems pretty hypocritical to me. The page is excellent. Keep up the good work! Its nice to know there are still some people in this area that have a clue and know how things should be.

Anonymous said...

Once again has anyone taken out petitions to run for school board other than the incumbents? If not then all these comments will make no difference, because you will have the same group of people for at least two more years.

Anonymous said...

Understzand that Peru is going to raise its taxes to pay for pensions. It is only three years ago that Peru offered its city employees early retirements and that this was a win -win situation. If raising my taxes is a win-win situation I'd hate to find out what losing is to these cowboys.

Anonymous said...

8:24 perhaps I am being hypocritical but then I am not starting a facebook page that is built on "destroying" a vision for a school system. The page is "excellent." Really? This is how things should be? Sounds like your page, and with 20 some likes it looks like a smash hit.

A silent but vast majority think highly of our schools. Disagree with the athletic complex if you want but destroying a vision is not "saving our schools".

Anonymous said...

Speak for yourself when it comes to a vast majority. The board has a terribly blurred vision. Those up for re-election in the spring must be removed. We want transparency from our school board, not a dog and pony show. The circus at lp is embarrassing to our community.

Anonymous said...

If there is a vast majority that think highly of our board,our area is in some serious trouble

Anonymous said...

This do what I want and hell with what the citizens want must come to a end. Right on 10:23. Its time to tighten up the old jock strap and seperate the men from the boys.

Anonymous said...

Ouch!