Farmer Members Opposed to Tax Increase
In January, Cook County Farm Bureau® released the first of a series of Micro Viewpoint Surveys. These surveys are designed to engage voting members in policy discussions and to gauge voting member support of pending pertinent issues.
The January survey asked voting members to weigh in on the proposed property tax increase for the Forest Preserve District. Fifty-three percent of members responding opposed a property tax increase.
Of those members supporting a property tax increase, the majority of members felt that the additional funds should be allocated to conservation and habitat restoration projects, acquisition of 20,000 additional acreage, and trail maintenance.
The survey also asked members about the avenues that local governments should consider when looking to fill the budget gaps created by the pandemic. A majority of members responding support hiring freezes, cutting programs, cutting services, and refinancing debt as temporary solutions to the budget deficit.
Additional surveys will be sent to voting members in the future. If you have any thoughts or comments you’d like to share, please contact Bona Heinsohn at [email protected].