By: Diane Benjamin
This comment was made to this story on BlnNews: https://blnnews.com/2026/10/16/property-taxes-wreck-affordable-housing/
Print this and hand a copy to EVERY elected official in office and those running. Progressive spending on wants are destroying the ability to not only buy a home but to keep a home. THEY did this!
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
High property taxes price working class homeowners out of their homes and prevent renters from ever buying a house. That is the objective of the Leftist Progressive Marxist Democrats who are running Bloomington and Normal. “You will own nothing and be happy.”
Obama pushed the same thing,the European socialists started it.
Reduction of property taxes is a “selling point” for data centers in Bloomington. Reports from areas with high density of data centers show minimally reduced tax RATE over an 8 year time frame. Property taxes increase is a Ponzi scheme.
Education cost is the head of the snake.
55-65% of our tax bill.
Unit 5 Levy –
2014 – $85 Million –
2024 – $113 Million.
All we hear year after year is that the failure of education is because the local community isn’t paying their fair share. See Illinois Report Card. If you can access it. “This page isn’t working right now”
Unions pick the Board members since most citizens don’t vote. Last time no opposition even ran.
And who are the big union people in local politics? Corey Beirne-Scott and Krystal Able.
Big union = Big pay+Big workforce+Big Pensions = Big Taxes = Poor Citizens
You really think that letter will make a difference? Not in this town people love them high taxes.
Only if they have a conscience
Democrats created a housing crisis by raising property taxes almost 50% over just 6 years, hiking mortgages/escrow payments and rents as a result, pricing the poor and working classes out of homeownership and destroying their ability to save money.