Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Board candidate Colton Ekhoff wants everyone to have a seat at the county government table.

After 2nd District representative Jim Vickery voted for a tax increase and the Illinois Policy Institute issued a report titled “Growing out of Control: Property Taxes Putting Increasing Burden on Illinois Taxpayers,” the Republican Ekhoff said he had to stand up.

“Jim Vickery again voted to raise property taxes on Grant Park and Momence residents,” Ekhoff told the Kankakee Times. “Vickery voted ‘Yes’ to a 3.7 percent tax levy increase at the Oct. 10 County Board meeting. This is the 16th time over a 16-year career Vickery supported raising property taxes on local homeowners.”

The report reveals that in spite of income growing faster than inflation in each property class, residents are being crushed by taxes. 

“Residential property owners in the aggregate are bearing a greater share of the total property tax burden than ever before,” the report says. “Residential property owners paid slightly more than half of all property tax extensions in 1993. In 2013, however, they paid nearly two-thirds of the extensions.”

Ekhoff, a full-time carpenter, has been door-to-door discussing the tax levy.  

“I’ve been listening to my neighbors throughout this district, and property taxes and home values are among their top concerns,” Ekhoff said. “It is sad to see residents of Grant Park and Momence hit with another property tax increase.”

He said Vicery’s answer to every problem is yet another tax increase.

“This vote — to raise property taxes again — should have been discussed with the community at forums and neighborhood meetings, and those who are about to get hit with this tax should have had input,” Ekhoff said.

His solution to the problem is with the people. Ekhoff vows to host regular community forums with residents alongside other elected officials, as well as attend village and city council meetings. He said he would provide regular updates via mail, email and social media.

“We can’t be tone-deaf to these concerns; we need forward-thinking leaders who bring new ideas to the table and engage taxpayers in the solutions,” Ekhoff said. “I’ll do my best to be that type of public servant, and I will be transparent and open in all decisions.”