Public hearing on tax hike draws zero interest

The city of Du Quoin public hearing on Dec. 4 to discuss the proposed 15% property tax increase, drew no one to city hall.

The lights were on, the sky was clear and Assistant Police Chief Howard Baxter stood outside the entrance to welcome visitors and direct them inside. The phone line was open, but the only call that came in was a wrong number.

Instead of taking public comment, Mayor Guy Alongi and city commissioners revisited the reasons for the 15% tax hike.

"We would not be here if it wasn't for two things," Alongi said, "extremely high escalation in pension actuaries and a sales tax decrease due to the pandemic."

The property tax hike is expected to generate an additional $90,000 to $100,000 annually, all of which is earmarked for the pension fund for police and firefighters. A $90,000 increase in the city's pension obligation is coming in 2021, and the city has said it cannot pay that without laying off employees.

If the 15% increase is approved as expected, Alongi said the owner of a property valued at $51,920 would pay $38.53 more on next year's tax bill. Property valued at $105,000 would generate $54.14, and property valued at $175,000 would be $106.41.

Commissioner Chuck Genesio said many other municipalities in Illinois "are in the same boat we're in, with their backs against a wall."

Attending the hearing were commissioners Genesio, Jill Kirkpatrick and Bob Karnes; Deputy City Clerk Shannon Jones; City Attorney Aaron Atkins and Special Projects Coordinator Chuck Novak.

Mayor Alongi also reiterated what they city has done to reduce its own operating costs: It has frozen the salaries of all nonunion employees; it has asked both city unions to accept a salary freeze; and each department head has been asked for 7½% cuts in his or her department in the 2021 budget. Capital expenditures have also been frozen.

Genesio said he sees "no other option" than the tax hike to sustain the city's pension fund. Layoffs, said Genesio, "wouldn't solve the problem."

Alongi agreed, saying he views this as a public safety issue. Layoffs would mean fewer "boots on the ground," he said, boots that provide full-time protection from crime and fire, and full-time assistance to residents.

Meanwhile, Finance Commissioner Kirkpatrick stressed the need to hold quarterly budget reviews to keep ahead of any future budget cuts needed.

Commissioner Karnes said the pandemic and the state of Illinois have taken this matter out of the city's control.