Which Towns Pay Most in Taxes and Fees?

Last month, a few Patch sites posted an article, "" The article was based on information provided by the city of Park Ridge, which released an annual ranking of what residents of 13 nearby towns pay annually for their municipal services.

"By considering all the monies residents pay, including property taxes and fees, it attempts to create an apples-to-apples comparison and determine who gets hit hardest in the pocketbook," read the original article.

But Evanston authorities point out that it wasn't an apples to apples comparison. Some of the municipalities' taxes include funding for the library and park district, while residents of other areas pay additional taxes to separate library, parks and sometimes fire district taxing bodies.

Marty Lyons and staff from Evanston's Administrative Services Department created a new chart that tells a more accurate picture.

The new chart, posted on the right, shows that Wilmette paid the third lowest property tax rate in 2009. Meanwhil Oak Park, whose residents pay taxes to the city in addition to library and park fees, had the highest property tax rate in 2009. Hoffman Estates and Arlington Heights come in at second and third highest, rather than Evanston and Des Plaines, as noted in the original chart.

The original chart compared things like garbage and yard waste charges, residential water bills, and city sewage charges, but not items such as parks and libraries.

Both the original and new charts are posted on the right. Click to view and compare them.