Pinckneyville and Du Quoin Hope to Forego Utility Rate Increases

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[After passing on back-to-back rate increases from the Rend Lake Intercity Water District the past two years, the City of Du Quoin hopes to forego a water rate and sewer rate increase in 2012.

City administrator Blaine Bastien said the last of the planned increases ended with fiscal year 2011.

Du Quoin this year started to lose revenue from the Village of Tamaroa after Tamaroa constructed and began operating its own water system this fall. However, the city also picked up all of the customers from the Old Du Quoin water system, which balances the loss.

Pinckneyville City Clerk Fran Thomas said her understanding from Mayor August Kellerman and commissioners is that Pinckneyville will forego water rate increases and natural gas utility rate increases in 2012, as well.

She said there have also been discussions about abating a portion of the City of Pinckneyville's tax levy that covers bond and interest payments.

There are expected to be no real estate tax levy abatements in Du Quoin's future this year. After invoking a half-cent sales tax increase to replace Du Quoin's share of real estate taxes five years ago, the city has had to back-peddle on its promise of eliminating the real estate tax.

In 2012, the city will both continue the half-cent sales tax and levy for the entire amount of real estate taxes with no abatement, which means the Du Quoin share of taxpayers' 2012 real estate tax bills will be slightly higher than last year. Du Quoin taxpayers, however, continue to enjoy the second lowest tax rate in the county (only the Village of St. Johns is lower).

Du Quoin city administrator Blaine Bastien and finance commissioner Rex Duncan had originally hoped to abate $80,484 of the half-million tax levy, but that will not happen. The entire city levy will be earmarked to pay $190,000 in fire pension liabilities, $185,000 in police pension liabilities, $118,000 in IMRF liabilities as well as social security liability.

The city makes pension contributions for seven active firemen, two retired firemen, two on disability and five surviving spouses. The city makes pension contributions for seven officers, two retired officers, two disabled officers and several within other departments covered by IMRF and social security.

Bastien said not abating the $80,484 will help capitalize planned water line reconstruction, a new fire truck, water tower repairs and widening an alleyway behind Pizza Hut and Mc Donald's