As Chairman of the County Board, I am proud of our record in holding the line on taxes, which has saved taxpayers in our county in excess of over a half a billion dollars over the past 17 years. 

Now, as DuPage County homeowners begin paying their property tax bills, they should note that just a small fraction of that money comes to the County.  When you compare that to what schools and other local units of government collect, DuPage County is clearly doing more with less.

Did you know that 72 percent of a homeowner’s property tax bill goes to local schools districts and 21 percent goes to local units of government?  Those two combined make up 93 percent of an average property tax bill, while the County portion is a modest 3 percent.  And while that number continues to remain low, the programs and services the County provides have grown and are serving more people now than ever before. 

That is possible because the DuPage County Board has a long tradition of keeping property taxes low, while at the same time providing residents with the best services possible.  We do this by being good stewards with the taxpayer’s money earning us a AAA Bond Rating, the highest possible rating, which less than one percent of all counties in the nation enjoy.

I also think it is important to note that by being good fiscal stewards of the people’s money, the County board has saved taxpayers in excess of $600 million over the past 17 years by not raising the property tax levy.  Just this year, the Board voted to abate the property tax levy by one million dollars.  It may have been a small amount to return to taxpayers, but at time when gas prices are high, food prices are increasing and the housing market is slumping, every little bit counts. 

So as you pay your property taxes this year, you should know that I and the DuPage County Board are acting in a fiscally responsible manner to ensure that more of your hard-earned money is staying in your pocket, and that the County continues to provide the key services many have come to rely on.  This will continue to be the case as we begin our next budget process, which will incorporate our strategic plan, which was created through the input of residents throughout the county.

View all of the Chairman's messages