Du Quoin city government says it won't raise property taxes

DU QUOIN - Mayor Guy Alongi said Monday at the city council meeting that at a time when many communities in the region have had to raise their property tax levies, Du Quoin is not forced to follow suit.

"We're very far from having to raise taxes to our residents," Alongi said. "The biggest reason we don't have to is the decrease in insurance costs, but of course, we know that won't last forever."

City Clerk Andrew Croessman said total revenues ($9,232,543) are presently outpacing expenditures ($8,619,202) for a difference of $613,341.

What has led to the city's $613,341 change in revenues? The breakdown is as follows:

Business District Sales Tax $215,718

Utility Tax $18,988

Income Tax $33,149)

Towing Fines $16,400)

State Grants $272,915)

Water/Sewer Revenues $42,506)

Croessman said the reason many area communities have had to increase property taxes is because of a $62,811 pension shortfall. That shortfall is due to the state making conservative changes to actuarial assumptions such as increasing life expectancy and decreasing investment returns.

"The 2019 budget proposes absorbing the $62,811 shortfall by reducing the IMRF levy to $0 and applying that amount to Police and Fire pensions," he said.