" Come on, George! You're not the only one who knows, TIME IS MONEY. Prepayment? Hello? Discount? Present Value Analysis? And, if you're encouraging prepayments, why do it by snail mail? Ever hear of EFT's? //// It's not a bad idea, but why not do it right? Property tax is already unpopular because no one knows the value of property until it's SOLD; plus it's 'double taxation' (the money used to purchase the real estate has already been taxed at least once). You should offer an incentive for paying early, and skip the added expense of coupon books, envelopes, stamps, etc. I wonder if what we'll hear next is that you need to hire someone to administer this early pay program. "

" As with any kind of new program, there are always ways to complain about something. I live in Clay county and know nothing of the treasurers office in Coles, but I think the monthly idea is great and have often wondered why this idea is not used more often. I understand many people have their taxes escrowed, but others may use banks that don't escrow, and others such as senior citizens may have their home payed for (so no escrow with a mortgage), but live on a fixed income and a large tax bill can be tough. I say it is about time a monthly option comes about...maybe in due time there will be more options such as EFT's or maybe Clay County will get up to speed and offer this as well! "

" That is real cute. This years tax payments didn't come out until like August or September, they were so late. Now we are expected to sign up to start payments in January, when it isn't even on the books yet for over another 1/2 year. Hello? Where is my pre-payment discount? More stupid Coles County bureaucracy. I learned better in High School economics class, but oops, that's right, I got my schooling in Wisconsin, not from a bunch of hick bumpkins. "

" Woah TigerRose...there is really no need to insult people who were raised and educated in this area. Many of us have done very well with the education we got in this county. I am from Mattoon, and do not consider us to be anywhere close to "hick bumpkins" as you deem us. Do you live around here? If so, then why would you want to be here if you have so little respect for the way things are run? And if not, then please keep your insulting comments to yourself and don't concern yourself with the way things are run in our county. "

" Don't people see that they could put aside the same amount in their own bank account each month, earn a little interest, and have the use of their own money during that time, rather than giving the county that gift? It is a concept based on childish premises: I am too undisciplined to save a certain amount each month so the county will do it "for" me. Also, it would seem to me that making a monthly, and thus smaller payment, would give the impression of a total tax bill that seems less painful, less onerous. That, in turn, would make it easier and less "noticeable" for county/city/school/Lakeland officials to raise our taxes without our being quite so stunned by it. What might seem like a convenience on the face of it actually raises a lot of questions when examined. What is also totally unfair is for Lakeland Community College to be able to just raise our taxes on a whim, while Eastern has to scrounge and beg for every penny. Property taxes in Illinois need reform!! "

" This area does leave a lot to be desired. When my family from different parts of the US saw the open sore on my arm that had been there for 2 months, I explained all that had been done and the medicines I had, etc... All of them said, you mean it hasn't been biopsied yet? It would have been biopsied 2 months ago in all of their states! So they all are under the belief that our fine doctors here in oles county are all the docs that graduated at the bottom of their classes or owed their community so much free time for helping put them through medical school. How sad. "

" Late Bird; I'm curious as to why you haven't asked for a referral to another physician if you believe the open sore on your arm needs to be biopsied. You need to be an active participant in your health care, and if you feel you aren't being served here, look elsewhere. I am tired of everyone who chooses to practice medicine in Coles County being maligned by those who chose to use them as physicians. You have a choice of doctors. You choose to live in this area. If it is so bad, why are so many of you still here? (Trust me, I realize there are problems in Coles County, but I've lived here and several other places and found problems elsewhere also.) "

" I agree with you,Dottedline, Allthough earning a litte intrest is an over statement.. I put aside 28 bucks a week to pay my taxes and last year I earned a whoopin $2.18 in interest "

" Good points, Dottedline. Of course, "Why Not" will call you a cynic, but don't worry. You've hit the nail on the head. If you have a short term financial emergency suddenly appear, say in July, the County isn't going to let you withdraw your seven monthly payments to meet that emergency. You're also right on when you point out that the tax bill may not seem so bad if it's paid a little at a time - kind of like the federal income tax withholding requirement from a paycheck. If people had to write a check to the feds once a year to the IRS for Social Security/Medicare/Income Taxes, they'd have a Tea Party that would dwarf the 1773 version held in Boston. We used to have Personal Property Tax in Illinois. It wasn't repealed. It was just never reinserted into the revised State Constitution of 1970. The reason it wasn't folded into our new Constitution was because anyone with a lick of common sense knew it was entirely too arbitrary and impossible to fairly administer. Real Estate Property Tax has the same faults as the old Personal Property Tax. No one knows the value of real estate until a willing buyer and seller agree to establish that value. County assessors can not possibly put an accurate value on a property without conducting a thorough inspection, and even then, the real value may be corrupted by personal prejudice for or against the owner. I agree with you that our Illinois property tax needs reform, but I'd go a step further and say it should be repealed as unconstitutional. "

" Thanks, beaches, my sentiments exactly. "Let's see: someone has an open sore for two months, therefore all docs in Coles County are bums." I'm going to make LB an offer: Send me a check for your tax bill next year and I'll take care of everything for you. "

" daisy: You're so smart, you couldn't even tell that I was not insulting the residents, but the illogic behind the payment issue. Not only do I live around here, but also pay property taxes on about 1/4 city block worth of property. I shouldn't have to explain why, especially to someone who has no clue about property values & Federal Interest rates. If you want to try & stifle someone, go henpeck someone else. It don't work with me. "

" TK, take that times the 50 mil or so the county collects in taxes each year and you get close to $75,000 additional revenue for the year. "

" TigerRose: I'm not sure how saying you were educated in Wisconsin, not from a bunch of hick bumpkins applies only to the people who came up with the payment plan. It seems to me that those of us who may have gone to school with them were taught by the same people. I have an advanced degree, how about you? The reality is that many people aren't disciplined enough to save the money on their own, and this gives them a way to make payments, and possibly save their property.......it's imperfect certainly, but give people the choice. "

" beaches: yes I got a degree at UWM, that is beside the point. Okay, so some people don't have enough restraint to manage their own finances, pity them. That still doesn't account for the lack of discount which should already be in this imperfect plan, since payments would be coming in monthly, half a year before tax statements even come out. The County would have full use of these funds, yet no recompense is to be made for sending all this money in over a half a year ahead of payment time. If you have an advanced degree, as you claim, you should easily be able to discern how this is a real steal from the taxpayers themselves. We should be given at least a discount for sending money in early, or a rebate for making early payments to be given out after final payment is sent in, at the least. This is an enormous amount of interest alone which is being kept by the County for no good reason, other than they present it as a "convenience plan" Yeah, real convenient to charge payment when it shouldn't even be due yet. "

" TigerRose: I was not trying to "henpeck" or "stifle" you. I was merely pointing out that you made a generalization of all people educated in this area. Furthermore, I don't appreciate you insulting me personally and insinuating that I lack intelligence. I graduated from college with a 3.8 average, and I also know a thing or two about property values. I am not disagreeing that the prepayment is a bad idea...I am only taking exception to your rude comments about people who were raised and educated here in Coles county. You don't even know me, so stop hurling insults at me. "

" The payment plan is not a good option for people who can manage their finances. Unfortunately there are too many people who can not do this. I know people who purposely claim too many deductions, so they can get a large refund at income tax time. This is the only way they can save to purchase a big item. Not smart. Also be glad you live in Coles County. My real estate taxes in Dupage County are $9,800 per year. "

" Hay tiger Rose! Old George may think, if it worked for FDR,(what they don't see they won't miss tax) then they won't really complain,when we jack them up a little at a time. The only way people will wake up, is to do away with all pay roll tax deductions,and make them have to sit down and write the check for all taxes in a lump some,like they have to for property tax. "

" TigerRose: You are right, but the world is imperfect. Why don't I get a discount if I go through the self check out lane at WalMart (although I try not to shop there anymore)? Why isn't gas cheaper since we pump it ourselves as opposed to attendants who do it for us? And honestly, many of us won't make that much off of the interest. "

" daisy: I mentioned several times that my comments were directed at the imperfections in the tax plan, yet you still can't figure out it is not about the people themselves. There is no reasoning with you if you cannot understand that. beaches: you brought up some good points, but if we allow ourselves to be cheated out of any money now, what is to say they won't take more in the future? Just because it is a small amount individually, overall this is a big free windfall to the County. Plus the bureaucrats may think, 'we did it before, we can do it again.' Two wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. We need to expect money back now with this proposal, or it will be harder to get what we deserve in the future. "

" No TigeRose, you made a generalization about the people who were educated in this area when you said, and I quote, " I learned better in High School economics class, but oops, that's right, I got my schooling in Wisconsin, not from a bunch of hick bumpkins". Whatever though...there is no reasoning with you either, so I give up. Have a nice day. "