Update: https://blnnews.com/2019/08/13/assessor-response-received/
By: Diane Benjamin
Evidently the Town of Normal does. This property is at 1217 Adelaide:
The Town of Normal bought it in 2015 and has been paying property taxes on it ever since. The property should be EXEMPT – not rocket science!
So far the Town has wasted:
Pam Reece knows and has done nothing to fix it, Stan Nord brought this property and the next one to her attention shortly after taking office May 1st. I have an un-dated PTax-300 form to change the status, it evidently hasn’t been filed since the County still shows the property as taxable: Adelaide
Worse, the Town has already paid the second installment that isn’t due until next month.
The Normal Township Assessor’s office still shows it as taxable too. http://normaltownship.org//assessments.php?SearchPIN=1432279011&Year=2018
Then there is this property – 1404 Ft Jesse Rd:
It’s an empty lot. Why is Normal paying taxes on it?
For 7 months in 2018 it was owned by a company who wanted to build on it. It was sold back to Normal when the owner found Normal’s regulations and red tape too difficult to deal with.
I don’t know if the Normal Assessor’s site is right because it still shows this property being owned by the developer. It does show Normal bought it in 2016. the property is listed as commercial vacant land. http://normaltownship.org//parcelinfo.php?SearchPIN=1422476016
Taxes were likely prorated between the various owners, but this is the payment history:
I FOIA’d all copies of filed forms for exempt status. I did not receive one on this property: 14-22-476-016.
Unless the Town gets around to changing these properties to Exempt, your money will continue to be thrown away.
One thing we do know: Send a bill to Normal and it gets paid without anyone checking to see if it is owed – especially if it’s a tax bill.
I emailed the McLean County Assessor’s office Thursday for any updates on these two properties. although they usually answer quickly, I did not receive a response this time.
Is Pamela too afraid to admit government’s mistake because it would acknowledge Stan was indeed correct? The ego and pride of the Town leadership is more important than taxpayer dollars. Let that synch in.
I’m guessing Pamela is feeling embarrassed by this…oh wait, she is to busy trying to crucify Stan to feel shame. That fall from the pride is probably going to kill her.
To quote the late, great Normal Town Council member R.C. McBride, “We pay taxes too.”