Republicans on Will County Board Demand a minus 2% in the Levy and Budget

Most people have been conditioned to believe that government spending only moves in one direction: up. You’ve been told that a “flat levy” is a victory and that “holding the line” is the best you can hope for while inflation eats your paycheck.

I’m here to tell you that’s a lie.

On July 16, 2026, my Republican colleagues on the Will County Board and I sent a letter to County Executive with a very simple, direct demand: Give the taxpayers their money back.

We aren’t asking to just stop an unnecessary tax increase. We are proposing a 2% reduction in the total county property tax levy for the 2027 fiscal year. That’s a $4 million cut.

Does $4 million Cut sound like a lot to you? It should. Because it’s currently sitting in the county’s pocket instead of yours.

The county is flush with cash. We are currently as of April 2026 sitting on over $30 million in available reserves. That is “rainy day” money. But for many of you living on fixed incomes or trying to raise a family in this economy, it’s been pouring for years. Why is the government hoarding $30 million of your money while you struggle to pay for groceries and gas? There is no excuse for a government to maintain massive surpluses while the people they serve are being taxed out of their homes.

You might remember last year when we fought for a 0% levy. We won that battle, but for many of you, your tax bill still didn’t go down because your EAV increased.

Here is the “uncomfortable simplicity” of the system: Even when the county says they aren’t taking more than last year, they are still capturing revenue from “new construction.” As new homes and businesses are built, the tax base grows. These new sources of property tax should reduce what everyone pays. Sadly government usually just swallows that extra cash and keeps its total spending the same or higher. Always remember if your EAV increases your Property Tax will Increase what you pay into the Levy. The formula is simple: Your Home’s EAV × Tax Rate = Your Tax Bill.

If the tax base grows, the rate for everyone else should go down. A 2% cut ensures that the “growth” of Will County actually benefits the people who already live here, rather than just funding more bureaucracy.

When you have a $4 million “gap” in a budget backed by $30 million in reserves, that isn’t a crisis. It’s a choice. The administration is choosing to prioritize a padded bank account for the county over the bank accounts of Will County residents.

Remember to express your thoughts: https://www.willcountyboard.com/public-comments-portal.html

Related Articles:

https://stephenbalich.wordpress.com/2026/07/04/do-you-really-need-a-tax-hike/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTHa49leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe2tqK3d1Ojspm4B2bgCqau8cWpVUHDXe6QZb1dpB17Vhioj0LYucFNNJLx38_aem_ZqCU2Woax3FC_uT7ZP1-sw

stephenbalich.wordpress.com/2026/06/23/the-0-levy-loophole-why-your-taxes-go-up-even-when-they-say-they-didnt/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTHbWFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeOHsHlCCr970x7WgZu8yIZJ9ocoQbRtONIv0gRYklC_pm4XBMoXXwC4s_tmY_aem_RUF78LjupyAMF1itr84i_w