By: Diane Benjamin
The Tri-Valley School District sent a classy new magazine to all property taxpayers in the district. It is on line too. See it here: https://www.journeytwelve.com/vikingvoyage
I read every story, student stories show a lot about opportunities in the district. But one story shows government ideology at its worse: Built With Intention. TV has the next spending spree planned. Read that article for details.
Here’s what is interesting. TV never lets property taxes go down. If a bond is paid off they magically have a spending program ready for the same amount so property taxes don’t decrease.
It gets worse though. This is a clip from the story:
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TV deserves an award for CON of the Year!
Did TV property taxes decrease this year? Below is a random house in the district. The RATE did go down. The $6,210.16 paid in 2025 increased to $6522.48 in 2026! That is a tax increase Tri-Valley. The 1% Sales Tax increase was an even bigger con.
Taxes increased even with a lower tax rate because the Net Taxable Value is $10,173 higher in 2026.
The last line is a flat out lie. There is no “reduction in property taxes”.
Property taxes never decrease because school board members don’t demand it. The State isn’t funding schools as required either. Change Springfield, change property taxes.
Tri-Valley isn’t the only unit of government that pulls the “rate went down” scam. Almost all of them do. Numbers don’t lie but the people who use them do.
It is all about tax levy. All the school districts in Mclean County have raised their tax Levy by 30-40% since 2019. This means they raised everyone’s property taxes by 30-40%. Then they raised everyone’s sales tax rate by 15% (percentage increase from 8.75% to 9.75%), and called it a “reduction in property taxes”. Taxes go up, up, up, but they tell you its a property tax cut??? HA!
With school leaders like this, no wonder the majority of students in Mclean county can’t read or do math at grade level.
Since the board always runs unopposed, you can fix this by collecting signatures right now to get on the ballot of the spring elections. Cut the wasteful and immoral cash grab, as student enrollment continues to drop, spending shouldn’t be increasing!
Also, you should all appeal your home’s assessed value. Any reduction will permanently lower your property tax bill by whatever the difference is (times the tax rate).
The Mclean County GOP is hosting a free seminar on Saturday August 29th to help you learn how to appeal your assessed value: https://www.mcleancountyrepublicans.org/property_seminar
Correct and it’s not just Tri Valley
Almost every level of government pats themselves gloating over meaningless lower rate
The roadmap and transparency, and vendor relations/systems projects seem to be highly secretive. Ezec strategy most likely (with nonndisclosed kickbacks or comp/bonus structure).
It’s not just an issue with TV but district and cross district and city wide.
Try getting an answer to any communication about data use/store/share agreements or question anything and you are flagged as a risk, it’s closed or told to FOIA and give a run around.
A waste of citizen, taxpayer- money and time in the name of school “efficiency” for admin and board members and villages/townships.
Oh to see the names of this project leads and management and groups/contracts/vendors getting our money by ram rodding tax funded tools, devices, platforms and systems in.
Communities slogans and marketing playbook may sound innovative and with intention….but the players and IT systems behind the scenes lack transparency.
Good write up.
GOP is doing school board training 8/22. I will be there talking about FOIA
If they are using any platform like SailPoint and tracking CRM system there are problems in test and production and with the administration and rules/protocol of them.
Glad you are talking about this process and front and backend handling of questions of all types.
FOIA that!
I just received my TV Mag today. I wonder how much was spent on creating, printing and distributing it?
A LOT
My Viking Voyage was a quick one and it’s now in my recycle bin.
I received one in the mail today. I don’t live in the Tri-Valley school district. Why did I get one? It’s in the garbage with all the other junk mail.