Cook County Forest Preserve asks people to vote for property tax increase
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County voters have some big decisions when it comes to the Illinois gubernatorial race, congressional races – and now, trees.
There is a referendum on the ballot in Cook County asking property owners to pay more for the county's forest preserves. As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported, this is the first time in almost 80 years the Cook County Forest Preserve District is asking voters for more money.
Some voters have gotten mailers asking for a "yes" vote to restore and improve forest preserve land. There are roughly 70,000 acres of such land.
"This has been a conversation that's been going on for four or five years now," said Cook County Forest Preserve District Supt. Arnold Randall.
Randall is hoping Cook County voters will say yes to a property tax hike appearing as a referendum on the ballot, which would help the Forest Preserve District grow even more.
"It would allow the Forest Preserve to do a whole lot more with respect to restoration, land management; fix a lot of things that need to be fixed, a lot of deferred maintenance, things like that; increase our trail system; more programming – those sorts of things," Randall said.
The referendum asks for a "yes" vote for the forest preserves of Cook County. Randall said the tax increase would cost owners of a $300,000 home an extra $20 per year.
The referendum is the only way for the district to get more money, because it can't raise taxes on its own like a county or city can.
With soaring inflation, Kozlov asked Randall if he is concerned it all may be a tough ask for voters.
"We recognize that taxes in general are tough for voters," he said. "But the reality for the forest preserves is, this is available to you – and I think during the pandemic in particular, people realized having nature available to them is really important."
The nonpartisan government watchdog group The Civic Federation supports the proposal.
"I think it's a reasonable request," said Civic Federation President Laurence Msall. "I can say that the forest preserve's finances are much better than they've been in a long time. Their operations are improved."
And if that extra $20 per average homeowner is voted down?
"It means we'll have to make some difficult choices, frankly, on what we can do and what we can't do," Randall said.
Msall said some of that new money would also be used to shore up the Forest Preserve District pension system.
The referendum will pass if it gets 50 percent plus one of the total vote.