Posted in Agendas, BCFPD, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Jewel-Osco, Open Meetings Act, Overhead, Pension Funding, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, VBHPD on April 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The lease on the BCFPD fire station adjacent to Village Hall is being reviewed according to their agenda. | Courtesy Google maps
The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) Board of Trustees meets this evening at 6:30 PM at 22222 N. Pepper Road in Lake Barrington. Topics on their agenda include:
A copy of their agenda can be viewed here.
Posted in Cost of Living, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Entertainment, Fox News, Overhead, Politics, Unions on April 19, 2026| 2 Comments »
Chicago Mayor claims restaurant industry is ‘tied to slavery’
By Elaine Mallon | Fox News
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson linked the restaurant industry to “slavery” Wednesday as he defended his push to eliminate the tipped wage, doubling down after surviving a City Council effort to block the policy.
Johnson’s remarks came after the Chicago City Council failed to override his veto of a measure that would have halted the city’s phaseout of the subminimum wage for tipped workers — a policy set to raise base pay to the full minimum wage by 2028 that is opposed by restaurant owners who warn it could drive up prices and cut jobs.
He called on Chicagoans to “challenge city council not to do stuff like take wages away from Black and Brown people,” saying that most workers in the service industry who rely on tips are minorities.
“You just watched the entire city council, in transparency, try to take wages away from the very people who are part of an industry that has its ties to slavery is hiding from that,” Johnson said. “I am boldly declaring that we need reparations in this city, and that’s why I’m funding it.”
City aldermen voted last month to end the wage increase for tipped workers, but Johnson vetoed it.
Restaurant owners and associations have pushed back on the city’s phaseout of the subminimum wage, saying it will shrink their already tight profit margins. Chicago’s City Council failed to meet the 34-vote requirement to overturn the phaseout.
Johnson’s comments came in response to a question from a person who claimed that Johnson’s Reparations Task Force was not in compliance with Illinois state law, which mandates that all public bodies hold public meetings. Johnson denied the assertion that his task force, which he launched in June 2024, was not being transparent with the public.
Article continues here.
Posted in County, Kane, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, Unions on April 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »
DUNDEE TOWNSHIP
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
To the legal voters, residents of the Township of Dundee in the County of Kane and the State of Illinois that the ANNUAL TOWN MEETING of said Township will take place on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, being the second Tuesday of said month (per 60 ILCS 1/30-5) at 7:00 p.m. at the Rakow Center, Adult Activities Room, 665 Barrington Ave., Carpentersville, IL 60110 for the transaction of the miscellaneous business of said Township; and after a Moderator having been selected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of officers, and decide on such measures as may, in pursuance of law, come before the meeting; and especially to consider and decide the following:
AGENDA
Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
CLERK’S OFFICE
Reading of the Public Notice
Registration of Qualified Township Electors
Announce Number of Electors present and able to vote
Electors Nominate and Elect Moderator for this meeting
Oath of Moderator
MODERATOR
Presentation of the Supervisor’s Annual Financial Statements
Electors approve Supervisor’s Annual Financial Statements
Certification of Accounts
Motion to approve/amend the Minutes of last Annual Town Meeting April 8, 2025
Elected Officials Reports
Approval of Resolution in Support of House Bill 4616
Approval of Resolution to Recommend that the Dundee Township Supervisor Appoint Dawn Arimura, Dr. Michelle Wright, and Amber Cotter to the Dundee Township Community Mental Health Board
Announcement of Next Annual Town Meeting (April 13, 2027)
Electors move to set Time of Next Annual Town Meeting
Comments/Questions
Adjournment
Signed and dated this 27th date of March 2026. Elizabeth Clark, Dundee Township Clerk
Posted in County, McHenry, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, Unions on April 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »
PUBLIC NOTICE TOWNSHIP OF ALGONQUIN ANNUAL TOWN MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the legal voters and residents of the Township of Algonquin in the County of McHenry and the State of Illinois, that the Annual Town Meeting of Algonquin Township shall be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the hour of 7:00 PM at the Algonquin Township Office Building at 3702 US Highway 14, Crystal Lake, IL.
Agenda
1. Call to order
2. Election and Oath of Moderator
3. Approve minutes of the April 8, 2025, Annual Town Meeting
4. Audience Participation
5. Old Business
6. New Business – Motions to:
1. Set the date of the 2027 Annual Town Meeting as April 13, 2027, at 7:00 PM.
2. To authorize the Board of Trustees and the Road District to provide mosquito abatement services in the unincorporated areas of the Township.
3. To Authorize the Road Commissioner to sell excess equipment
Adjournment
Millie Medendorp Algonquin Township Clerk Posted 03-17-2026
Posted in County, Lake, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, Unions on April 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »
CUBA TOWNSHIP
176th ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Originally implemented to give citizens a uniform place and time to gather, this state mandated meeting provides an opportunity for any registered voter of the Township to speak. Cuba Township voters may propose agenda items, relevant to the powers granted to the electors under the Township code, for the Annual Town Meeting.
Proposals must be written and signed by at least 15 registered Cuba Township voters and delivered by March 1, 2026, to the Cuba Township Clerk,
Heidi N. Shannon.
Please join us. Questions can be directed to the
Township office at (847) 381-1924
175th Annual Town Meeting
April 14th, 2026; 6:00 pm
Cuba Township Office
28000 W. Cuba Road
Barrington, IL 60010
Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Nomination and election of Moderator
Oath of office to Moderator
Public Comment
Approval of Minutes 2025 Annual Town Meeting
Supervisor’s Annual Financial Report
Highway Commissioner’s Report
New Business
Old Business
Scheduling of Date, Time, and place of 2027 Annual Town Meeting
Adjournment
Posted in Cook, County, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, Unions on April 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »
BARRINGTON TOWNSHIP
176th ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
To the legal residents of the Town of Barrington in the County of Cook and State of Illinois that the ANNUAL MEETING OF said Town will take place on:
APRIL 14th, 2026, A.D.
Being the second Tuesday of said month.
The Town Meeting for the transaction of miscellaneous business of said Town will be held at the hour of 7:00 o’clock P.M. on said day at BARRINGTON TOWNSHIP, 602 SOUTH HOUGH STREET, BARRINGTON, ILLINOIS 60010 and a Moderator having been elected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of officers and decide on such measures as may, in pursuance of law, come before the meeting and especially to consider and decide the following:
Resolution to contract for Senior Citizen Services
Resolution fixing the date and time of next year’s Annual Town Meeting
Dated at Barrington Township, this 30th day of March 2026.
Daniel P. Fitzgerald, Town Clerk
AGENDA
APRIL 14th, 2026
7:00 P.M.
Meeting called to order
Pledge to the Flag
Approval of Agenda
Township History & Purpose Report
Clerk directs electors to appoint Moderator
MODERATOR: TBD
1. Approval of the minutes of the previous years’ Annual Town Meeting
2. Supervisors Annual Financial Reports.
3. Review tentative budget for the Town Fund for fiscal year March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027.
4. Review tentative budget for the General Assistance Fund for fiscal year March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027
5. Supervisor’s Annual Report….D. Robert Alberding
6. Clerk’s Annual Report…Daniel P. Fitzgerald
7. Assessor’s Annual Report…….Jacqueline Stephens
8. Cemetery Committee’s Annual Report…..John Langan
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
1. Resolution 2026-R-01 to contract for Senior Citizen Services.
2. Resolution 2026-R-02 fixing the date and time of next year’s Annual Town Meeting.
3. Any further business to come before the meeting.
ADJOURN
Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, BCFPD, Bicyclists, Big Red, BraveHearts, Commercial Horse Boarding, Countryside Elementary School, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Don't Change Barrington Hills, Ethics, Financial Statements, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Mad Cows, Massbach Hounds, Open Meetings Act, Overhead, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Save 5 Acres, Simple Minds, SOS Party, Taxes, The Other Half, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality, Your Barrington Hills on April 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Cult of Barrington Hills will hold their monthly meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 6:00 PM. Some topics on their agenda include:
A copy of their agenda can be viewed here. Instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.
Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Big Brother, Board of Education, Deception, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Traffic, Transparency, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on April 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The District 220 Board of Education meets Tuesday evening at 6:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Items on their agenda include:
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live streamed on the district YouTube channel.
*Interesting to see NBC Chicago requests.
Posted in Chicago Tribune, Cook, County, OP/Ed, Overhead, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way on March 31, 2026| 2 Comments »
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi speaks about the results of the triennial reassessment and proposed property tax relief legislation on Jan. 29, 2025, at the County Building. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune
Cook County’s property tax system is a Rubik’s Cube for even those relatively steeped in assessments and equalization factors value to decipher. So pity the ordinary property owners who have to pay the taxman two times every year.
All they know is that the tax cost of owning a home — you know, that thing we call the American Dream — keeps growing at rates that seem unsustainable. And, naturally, they want to know who to blame.
One Cook County officeholder, Assessor Fritz Kaegi, already has felt the public’s anger, losing his Democratic primary reelection race to challenger Patrick Hynes. Kaegi in many respects simply was the messenger who got removed for being in a post directly related to property taxes when many Chicago homeowners got the bad news late last year that their taxes had soared due to the pandemic’s deflating effect on commercial property values.
So leave it to the always-canny Cook County treasurer, Maria Pappas, to issue a comprehensive report less than two weeks after voters made their displeasure known at the polls — saying to residents, in effect, “No, it’s not your imagination. Property taxes really are that bad.”
Pappas, who as treasurer has the unpleasant task of delivering that bad property-tax news straight to people’s mailboxes and thus could be vulnerable to suffering Kaegi’s fate come November when she’s up for reelection, was able both to confirm what angry residents suspected while also tacitly saying: I’m on your side.
Additionally, Pappas has a seasoned, competent staff, and they were able to frame the property-tax awfulness in ways the average Joe and Jane can understand. Over the past three decades, went their analysis, total property tax levies in Cook County rose at roughly twice the pace of inflation and considerably more than than average wages. From 1995 until 2024, Cook County tax levies rose nearly 182% to $19.2 billion from $6.8 billion, according to the study. Inflation over that period was 91%.
Those simple findings, in and of themselves, are as damning of our state and local governments as anything we can think of. They represent nothing less than abject failure of governance.
Editorial continues here.
Posted in 220, 300, BOHICA, Chicago Tribune, Cook, Cost of Living, County, Look For The Union Label, Overhead, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, Taxes, Unions on March 30, 2026| Leave a Comment »
By Rick Pearson | Chicago Tribune
Property taxes imposed by government bodies within Cook County’s borders have grown at twice the rate of inflation over the past three decades, outpacing wage growth and driving an affordability crisis, a study by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office has found.
Pappas’ report, released Monday morning, condemns political leaders — many of them Democrats like herself — for exploiting loopholes in a state law designed to limit real estate tax increases. It calls on Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and the Democratic-led General Assembly to enact significant reforms and find ways for local taxing agencies to cut spending.
“Illinois in 2025 had the dubious distinction of having the highest residential property tax rate in the nation. Chicago has the highest commercial rate in the U.S.,” Pappas said in a statement accompanying the study. “It’s time for the governor, state lawmakers and local government leaders to come up with a reform plan that works for taxpayers.”
Pappas’ report, titled “How State Laws Failed to Stop Decades of Skyrocketing Property Taxes: A Case for Reform,” arrives as the Illinois Department of Revenue is completing its own study of the state’s property tax system, due at the end of July. But Pappas said in her report that it was time for politicians to act “rather than produce another report that gets put on a shelf to gather cobwebs.”
Her study also comes in an election year when high property taxes are sure to be a major campaign issue in Pritzker’s race for a third term versus Republican Darren Bailey, as well as other statewide and scores of state legislative races. But large-scale remedies, such as finding alternative sources of revenue like a general tax increase to offset property tax cuts, are less likely when lawmakers and Pritzker are seeking reelection — though political pressures are lessened after the November general election in a lame-duck session.
Pappas’ study found that taxing bodies within Cook County levied $19.2 billion in property taxes in 2024, up nearly 182% from the $6.8 billion in real estate taxes imposed in 1995. During that time, inflation rose by 91% and average wages increased by 161%, the report said.
“The annual increases in taxes are relentless, taking more and more money out of people’s pockets,” said Pappas, who has been treasurer since 1998 and who is seeking reelection in November while declaring her interest in a Chicago mayoral bid in 2027. “I see it every day in my office, with people wondering how they are going to pay their tax bills or even whether they can stay in their homes.”
Article continues here.
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