‘I hate taxes period, but it’s a necessary evil’: Aldermen approve tax levy to pay for library, police and fire pensions

QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved an $8.44 million tax levy Monday night that is expected to raise the city’s portion of a person’s property tax bill by $22 if they own a $150,000 home.

The city’s total property tax levy, which included debt service for three outstanding bonds, rose 13.85 percent. The city amended the resolution, choosing to spend $2 million (up from $1.65 million as originally proposed) from its year-end fund balance, which is projected to be $2.6 million on April 30, 2025. 

The tax rate is estimated based on Adams County’s preliminary estimate of eight percent growth in equalized assessed valuation (EAV). The approximate property tax rate of 0.96791 for the 2024 tax levy is a 5.42 percent increase from the 2023 rate of 0.91815.

The pension fund of the Quincy Fire Department will receive $2.650 million, while the pension fund of the Quincy Police Department will receive $2.648 million. The city is funding pensions at approximately 104 percent of the statutory minimum.

Sixty-three percent of the property tax levy is for police and pensions, but it is only funding 51 percent of the total pension costs. The city allocates other sources of general revenue for pension costs to alleviate the property tax bills.

The levy for the Quincy Public Library is going from $730,000 to $1.3 million because aldermen chose to no longer use subsidies from the general fund. State law requires the city to fund the library at 15 cents per $100 EAV.

The aggregate levy increase of $1,025,126 is due to an increase in the library levy by $575,913 and the police and fire pension levies by $449,213.

Alderman Mike Farha (R-4) told Comptroller Sheri Ray to “act like I don’t know what I’m talking about” and explain what the property taxes will be spent on.

“Much of the time when (citizens) call up and complain about taxes, they think they’re going to get streets, and they think they’re going to get all the infrastructure,” Farha said. “They’re not. It’s not going to happen. …  I just want people to be cognizant. You really don’t know where this money is going. It’s not going to what you think. It’s going for police and fire primarily. That’s an obligation.”

Jeff Bergman (R-2) said the estimated property tax hike was $12 for the library and $10 for the police and fire pensions.

“Does that include (expected growth in) the EAV rate?” Kelly Mays (R-3) asked.

When Bergman said it didn’t, Mays said, “That is actual money we’re getting.”

“But do we have control over the EAV?” Bergman said. “I don’t want to pay an extra eight percent on my property taxes either because the EAV is going up, but we as aldermen sitting here have no control over that.

“We’re voting on a $22 increase, which is what we have control over. We have no control over the EAV, but the reality is it will go up. That can be said about every governing body that’s on the property tax bill. They have to put that into their equation. … We are here to discuss and vote on what we can control. What we control is our obligation (to) the state. We’re liable to fund the library at $1.3 million. We’re also responsible and liable for police and fire pensions. We cannot walk away from them.

“I don’t want to pay more property taxes like anybody. I hate it. I hate taxes period. But it’s a necessary evil.”

The resolution passed by a 9-5 vote, with Mays, Farha, Greg Fletcher (R-1), Dave Bauer (D-2) and Richie Reis (D-6) voting against it.

Mays said after the meeting she preferred for the increases in library levy to be gradually introduced rather than in one big chunk.

“I would have liked to see the library go from like 15 percent down to like 12,” she said. “It would have saved everyone money. (The rest of the money would have) come out of the general fund, which we’ve been doing for many years to support the library, or out of the money set aside for pensions. One or the other.

“Five percent is not a crazy jump, but when you’re looking at eight percent … and yeah, we have no control over that, we still get the money. I know everybody is raising their taxes, and people aren’t going to be happy when they get their tax bill.”

Quincy Mayor Mike Troup cast the tie-breaking vote to approve a $116,500 tax levy — drawn mostly from downtown businesses — for the Historic Quincy Business District. Voting against the resolution were Bauer, Bergman, Farha, Reis, Kenny Hultz (R-3), Tony Sassen (R-4) and Glen Ebbing (R-5). Voting in favor were Fletcher, Mays, Eric Entrup (R-1), Mike Rein (R-5), Jake Reed (R-6), Ben Uzelac (D-7) and Jack Holtschlag (D-7).

That resolution was not discussed by the aldermen before the vote.

Aldermen also approved an ordinance specifying that the 2024 general obligation bond issued for water and sewer infrastructure will be abated by revenues from the water and sewer funds and not placed on the tax levy of the city.