By: Diane Benjamin
Carl Hinshaw recently held another property tax appeal seminar. He told me this story.
A couple who bought a Habitat of Humanity home about 5 years ago are now worried about being able to keep it because of PROPERTY TAXES.
Their assessment was increased 11% this year including a 3.85% Township multiplier. Habitat is providing “affordable housing” while every local taxing body is destroying it. Carl is helping them appeal.
BNWRD is the latest to think they need your money more than you do: https://blnnews.com/2026/10/15/the-did-it-because-they-can/
Nobody at BNWRD is elected and media doesn’t normally cover what they do. Nobody told them to stop the fleece.
Before you vote, ask people wanting your vote if they will freeze property taxes. You have to live with a budget. They need to learn how to do the same without any grand plans. Don’t fall for: the rate is less! That doesn’t translate to lower taxes.
The County is getting a grand parks plan, Normal got their underpass, Bloomington wants a Public Works campus after massive water plans with accompanying rate hikes, on it goes. Of course schools are the worst offender while enrollment declines.
Next April those thieves will be on the ballot for the consolidated election. Failure to vote yet again in local elections give school boards, cities and towns, and more a GREEN LIGHT to increase property tax increases. Property taxes should be the #1 campaign issue. Taxing you on gains you will never see unless you sell your house is THEFT.
Good luck with any property tax appeal. I’ve found that approach does not work. Between 2001 and 1013 I appealed my taxes 9 times. I could stand on my driveway and count 8 houses that were newer, more square footage and sold for less. Most individuals would think that is sufficient evident to lower my property taxes.. Not so. Steve Scudder one of the McLean County Assessors, told me that because I have a wooded lot, my property is worth more. But, when EAB took out 23 mature ash trees my property taxes were not reduced because mature trees have no ;influence on the EAV of my property. And people wonder why no one trusts government
And, Scudder runs under the Republican banner, always unopposed.
The Socialistic Democrats and its media (WGLT, Pantagraph etc) have done a good job at fabricating the new political term Affordable without explaining where Un-affordability originates from.
Thanks, Diane, for being a lone voice in the battlefield of truth.
It would appear to me Steve Scudder has a conflict of interest being a real estate agent and assessor. Why someone hasn’t found an issue wiith that is beyond me.
I’m pretty sure if you got someone to run against him if he runs again for office chances are they would win.
We are the Habitat for Humanity family mentioned in Diane Benjamin’s recent article, and we are writing to share how these property tax increases are directly impacting our lives.When we bought our home five years ago, it was a dream come true—a truly affordable place to raise our family. However, our recent 11% assessment increase, compounded by the 3.85% Township multiplier, has turned that dream into a financial nightmare. Local programs work hard to build affordable housing, but skyrocketing property taxes are rapidly making it impossible for low- and middle-income families to keep their homes. We are being taxed on “unrealized gains”—paper wealth we will never actually see unless we sell our house and leave our community.Furthermore, as we look into our options for a property tax appeal, we are deeply concerned to learn that McLean County Assessor Steve Scudder also operates actively as a local real estate agent. How is this not a direct conflict of interest? A real estate agent’s professional network and livelihood rely entirely on rising property values and active market listings. Allowing the same individual who benefits from an active housing market to officially dictate the assessed values used for taxation undermines public trust in the entire system.An assessor should be an independent, neutral evaluator. We deserve an assessment process that is completely transparent, fair, and free from the appearance of personal or professional bias. We love our home and our neighborhood, but local taxing bodies need to understand that their continuous spending and rate hikes are pricing real families right out of the community. We are so very thankful to Carl for his help and the appeal class he offered.
Sincerely, The Affected Habitat Family
Thanks. I hope Carl can help and all elected see this.
Krystal Able and her comrades including Crockett have a solution for affordable housing – Turn over control of housing (rent, zoning and design) to the local politicians. Drive the free market out comrades. Land owners are the problem, government housing is the solution.
Cabrini Green was great!
Haha! I always use the Cabrini Green example when talking with friends about how so many people these days seem to think free housing is the answer to the affordable housing problem. Be careful what you wish for, folks! I promise you won’t like it
I worked for the county parks dept. back in the late 70’s early 80’s and planted a lot of the trees around lake evergreen. That was part of the master plan back then, they were to be harvested and sold for lumber so the park would be self sufficient.
Very straight-forward, and sad, example. You follow the money – and also important, you follow the math. Thanks for pointing out “thieves” and upcoming election. Can you advise who we should (or should not) vote for? Many thanks.
Definitely not anyone who claims to have lowered the rate! That means they raised the total taxes which raised yours.