WINFIELD - After voting for president and several state legislative races, voters in the tiny western suburb of Winfield will be asked on their November General Election ballot, "Do you want your property taxes increased by 100%?"
Well, that's probably not exactly the wording Winfield voters will see on their ballots, but that's what they'll be voting on. Their city council voted 4 to 1 Thursday night to toss the decision how to fund an underfunded police pension and repave the city's roads.
This development is especially Interesting, since Winfield residents were told a couple of months ago that lifting a ban on video gaming would fix their city's budget problems. Evidently, they're thinking now that that's just not going to be the case. The two-restaurant town's Caliendo's Restaurant received state approval for video gaming, and the facility is preparing to launch legalized neighborhood gambling as soon as all is ready.
The dilemma Winfield residents face will be on voters face statewide if the Illinois legislature decides to take funding pension responsibilities away from the state's hands and into local officials'.
If the resolution makes its way onto the ballot and passes, Winfield residents' property tax bill will increase $155 per year for a home valued at $200,000.
