For Immediate Release
Contact:  Jason Gerwig
630/407-6022
May 8, 2008

Fichtner asks Commonwealth Edison to support local communities by paying their property taxes

DuPage County Board Member Paul Fichtner is calling on Commonwealth Edison (Com Ed) to continue paying their property taxes in DuPage County rather than increasing property taxes on area homeowners. 

Fichtner said he is concerned with a plan by Com Ed to challenge DuPage  County’s property tax assessment on hundreds of parcels of land that they own in the county. Com Ed is asking for a 90% reduction on the nearly $2 million in property taxes they are currently paying.  They are also asking for millions more in property tax relief from previous years.  If successful, this would mean homeowners would see an increase in their property tax bill because all other property tax payers in the county must make up the multi million-dollar reduction.  This would come on the heels of residents already seeing a 26 percent increase on their Com Ed bills over the past year plus another 10 percent increase requested for next year.       

“It’s disappointing that an organization that prides itself on being a ‘good corporate citizen’ would turn out to be such a bad neighbor,” said Fichtner (District 1).   “Com Ed’s desire to reduce their property tax bill by 90 percent means a greater burden will be put on DuPage property tax payers.  That is simply not acceptable.”

choing Fichtner’s disappointment with Com Ed is County  Board member Yolanda Campuzano (District 1). “Fichtner’s right.  Residents are already paying their share of property taxes and it’s simply unacceptable for Com Ed to not do the same,” said Campuzano.

Fichtner says he plans to introduce a resolution before the County  Board imploring Com Ed to pay their current property taxes and to not put the burden on homeowners. 

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