Wealthy white homeowners vote more on property tax hike proposals in Cook County, study finds
Referendums for $45 million in infrastructure spending in Western Springs, $94.9 million in school upgrades in Northbrook, and for permission to go above state tax caps in the Northfield Park District, Prospect Heights and Roselle are on the ballot this spring.
And Pappas' office found a small number of voters — largely rich, white homeowners — tend to have the strongest turnout for these types of property tax votes.
The treasurer's office report compared turnout with census data on race, income and home ownership to reach its conclusions.
Pappas, whose office mails property tax bills, previously released an analysis showing low turnout on pocketbook issues further down ballot, arguing more voter engagement would keep rising taxes under control. Average turnout across the county for property-tax-related issues in the 2024 primary was just 20.9%, according to the report. Less than a quarter of all Chicago voters, for example, gave their say on the 'Bring Chicago Home' question, which did not pass.
'Rising property taxes always anger property owners. Despite that, most don't vote in referendums that determine whether their taxes go up or down,' Pappas said in a release.
In the 2024 elections, the treasurer's report found, the average turnout for property tax-related referendums went above 50% only in districts where the median household income was more than $100,000. Average turnout was just 34% in areas where median household income was below $82,000, which is the countywide median income.
Part of the difference is due to the fact wealthier districts put more of their referendum questions on the general election ballot, when voter turnout is typically higher.
But the study found for both 2024 elections, ballot drop-off — or the tendency to only vote on issues at the top of the ballot and skip things lower down like referendum questions — was higher in lowest-income taxing districts, too.
Turnout in south suburban Robbins was 14.1% when voters approved a park district request for a property tax extension last year. The median household income is below $38,000 there, and the referendum's passage added $132 to the annual property tax bill for a $100,000 home there.
Along the North Shore in Kenilworth, where median household income is over $250,000, turnout was more than twice the rate in Robbins when Kenilworth village officials requested permission for a $2.5 million beach bond issuance.
Referendum turnout in majority white taxing districts in 2024 was also 'significantly' higher than Black, Latino and majority-minority districts, the analysis found. While median drop-off rates in majority white and majority Black districts were less than 6%, that rate increased to '11% in majority Latino districts and nearly 13% in majority-minority districts,' the report said.
It was a similar phenomenon for referendums held from 2020 through 2023: 'majority white districts with median household incomes greater than $100,000 had the strongest voter turnout.'
Districts with high home ownership also corresponded to higher turnout in 2024, the analysis found. In districts where fewer than 80% of units were owner-occupied, average turnout was just 34%, but in taxing districts where 80% or more of residents own their homes, average turnout exceeded 55%. The trend was similar in 2023, officials say. Both homeowners and renters pay property taxes, but homeowners pay directly while renters have that cost factored into monthly leases.
Last year, voters approved 14 of 15 referendums from taxing bodies asking permission to borrow money above state limits. The lone failure was a nearly $90 million bond issue for Avoca School District 37 in the North Shore. Between 2020 and 2023, voters approved about 80% of similar referendums, last year's report found.
All three referendums asking voters for home rule powers also passed last year in Richton Park, Roselle and Glencoe. Those powers allow municipalities to impose different kinds of taxes, issue new debt and go beyond state caps on property tax increases.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Magazine
an hour ago
- Time Magazine
D.C. Families Brace For Start of School Under Trump Takeover
On a recent summer night, a 9-year-old girl in Northwest Washington, D.C. was having trouble sleeping. She heard on the news that speaking Spanish could draw the attention of federal agents, and she worried aloud to her Hispanic father that immigration officers might come for her classmates' parents. 'She kept asking, 'Can they come to people's homes? Can they come to our home?'' her father said. 'She was terrified.' Their family, longtime residents of the city and American citizens, are not at risk of deportation. But the girl's anxiety reflects a broader unease rippling through D.C. families as the city's public schools prepare to start a new school year on Monday, Aug. 25, under the shadow of President Donald Trump's takeover of the city's police force and a ramp up in federal immigration enforcement. Across the nation's capital, parents are setting up group chats on WhatsApp and Signal to coordinate carpools and walking groups. Some are pressing the city to relax attendance requirements, out of concern that some families might feel they have to keep their kids at home. 'We've got people volunteering to carpool other people's kids to school because the parents are afraid to try to get their kid to school on their own,' says Catherine Morgan, a D.C. resident whose child starts third grade on Monday. Since announcing in August that he would place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploy National Guard troops to patrol the streets, Trump has insisted his measures are necessary to curb what he has described as 'roving mobs of wild youth' and 'bloodthirsty criminals,' despite statistics showing violent crime in the city had hit a 30-year low earlier this year. His administration has also rolled back protections that once limited immigration enforcement around schools, allowing agents to conduct raids in neighborhoods and workplaces. The result, according to parents, educators and community leaders, is a climate of fear and confusion at the very moment when families are usually focused on first-day jitters, backpacks, and back-to-school clothes. Parents across the city interviewed for this story described adjusting their routines to shield their children from encounters with federal law enforcement whose mandate remains unclear. Marta Urquilla, a D.C. resident and mother of two teenagers, says she will not let her kids ride public buses to school. 'At this point, that's off the table,' she says. 'My kids present as Black, and that's just not something I am inclined to expose them to.' She says families in her neighborhood near Howard University have organized walking groups to the grocery store and that similar plans would be in place for school commutes. The federal occupation, Urquilla adds, has not been evenly felt across the city. 'The closer you get to where immigrants live, to where Black folks live and work, the more you see it,' she says. Rumors of ICE enforcement actions have swirled since Trump's inauguration in January, but have intensified over the past two weeks as ICE, FBI, Border Patrol, National Guard troops, and more have descended on D.C. streets. Videos have circulated of federal agents and local police arresting individuals in handcuffs and stopping others at various checkpoints. Across the country, school districts have been taking precautions to shield children from immigration enforcement. In New York, officials unanimously passed a resolution this year that prohibits ICE agents from entering schools or accessing student records without a judicial warrant. In Los Angeles, school leaders announced new 'safe zones' in areas targeted by ICE to protect students before and after school. D.C. parents, however, remain uncertain how much protection their schools can offer, given the city's lack of statehood and Trump's direct authority over its institutions. At a virtual information session for parents on Wednesday night, D.C. Public Schools officials attempted to address concerns about the increased law enforcement presence in the city, noting that they expect very little impact to schools. "Any law enforcement action on school grounds can only take place with a valid warrant or court order,' said Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee, the chancellor for District of Columbia Public Schools. He stressed that school resource officers are not performing any duties related to immigration or custom enforcement. DCPS also shared a few 'best practices' for parents to share with students, including to always travel in a group or with trusted adults, and to avoid distractions while traveling, such as being on a phone or using headphones. 'Please advise our young people to stay aware of their surroundings,' Ferebee said at the information session. D.C. police are currently enforcing a citywide juvenile curfew that begins at 11 p.m. for people under 17. In some targeted neighborhoods, juvenile curfews begin as early as 8 p.m. But some parents remain frustrated by the lack of communication from their schools about what many view as an unprecedented moment. 'We haven't been told a goddamn thing,' says Morgan when asked what her daughter's school in D.C. had communicated about the coming week. 'It makes us feel like, what are you going to do? Are you just going to let them come in and take these kids?' Jenn Kauffman is a mother of two who sits on the city's advisory neighborhood commission representing her neighborhood in Brightwood Park. She says parents are demanding stronger assurances from school leaders. 'I want bare minimum for the schools to kind of stand up and say what they will do to protect students,' she said. 'But in this climate, and you know, D.C. being a federal jurisdiction, I'm also afraid that still won't be enough.' Her 7-year-old, who attends a bilingual school, has already been discussing the situation with classmates. 'The kids have been talking about this and aware about this,' she says. 'But I think it's risen to a new level.' Parents say their children are absorbing the stress—and so are they. Lara Fife, whose 4-year-old started pre-K this month, says he has asked her why police are detaining people. 'I've been extremely stressed and not sleeping well at all,' she says. The White House insists the deployments are making Washington, D.C. safer, but most residents don't see it that way. A Washington Post-Schar School poll published Wednesday found roughly 80% of D.C. residents opposed Trump's executive order to federalize the city's police department, and 65% do not think Trump's actions will make the city safer. Residents warn that the show of force may deepen mistrust and drive children away from school. In Los Angeles, officials recently reported a 7% rise in online academy enrollment, attributing the spike in part to immigration fears. D.C. parents worry they may soon face the same difficult choice. 'Are we at a point where we need a virtual schooling option?' Kauffman asks. 'Because what's going to happen then is families are going to have to choose between risking their child, or being referred to Child Protective Services for truancy. And that's just immoral.' For now, families are bracing for Monday. Some will walk in groups. Others will drive in carpools. Still others may keep their children home. But the sense of unease remains. The Hispanic father with the worried 9-year-old daughter says his family plans to arrive at school extra early on Monday so he can warn other families if they notice ICE or other federal law enforcement in the area. 'I'm not hearing from any person of color or minorities that they feel safer or that they think that the police presence is here to quote, unquote, restore safety or security, right? It's quite the opposite,' he says.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Justice Department said to consider probe of Fed's Lisa Cook
The Department of Justice is potentially launching an investigation into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over allegations of mortgage fraud, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg News. The notification comes only a day after President Donald Trump pushed for her resignation from the central bank. In the letter, senior DOJ official Ed Martin urged Fed Chair Powell to remove Cook from her Board of Governors post. 'At this time, I encourage you to remove Ms. Cook from your Board,' Martin wrote in the letter, per Bloomberg. 'Do it today before it is too late!" Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing and Finance Agency, sent a criminal referral on Wednesday to the DOJ, alleging that Cook had been misleading in her mortgage applications for a pair of residential properties in Georgia and Michigan. Following the referral, President Trump was blunt in pushing for her resignation. "Cook must resign, now!!!" he said in a short social media post . The White House and Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cook, for her part, is digging in. 'I have no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet,' she said in a statement provided by a Fed spokesperson on Wednesday. 'I do intend to take any questions about my financial history seriously as a member of the Federal Reserve and so I am gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts.' Pulte's referral letter — first posted on social media — described mortgage documents it had obtained about Cook, alleging she had "falsified bank documents and property records to obtain more favorable loan terms." Over the course of a month in 2021, Cook obtained primary residence mortgages on two properties in Michigan and Georgia, declaring both to be her main residence. Trump recently had an opportunity to imprint his stamp on the central bank after the early resignation of former Fed Governor Adriana Kugler. That allowed him to name White House aide Stephen Miran to the slot, at least for now. He must still be confirmed by the Senate. Another opening in the Board of Governors would pave the way for the president to install a second pick who's receptive to his constant demand for lower interest rates. Still, Trump's ability to fire a Senate-confirmed appointee is extremely limited. Only the Fed chair can theoretically remove a sitting governor for cause, usually defined as conducting "malfeasance in office" or "neglect of duty" in the position. Cook was nominated by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in a May 2022 party-line vote. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Fed's Board of Governors, a seven-member group that takes frequent votes on monetary policy and helps regulate the financial sector. Her current term expires in 2038.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Supreme Court says Trump may cancel DEI-related health research grants
WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court said Thursday the Trump administration may cancel hundreds of health research grants that involve diversity, equity and inclusion or gender identity. The justices granted an emergency appeal from President Trump's lawyers and set aside a Boston's judge order that blocked the canceling of $783 million in research grants. The justices split 5-4. Chief Justice John G. Roberts joined the court's three liberals in dissent and said the district judge had not overstepped his authority. The court's conservative majority has repeatedly sided with the administration and against federal judges in disputes over spending and staffing at federal agencies. In the latest case, the majority agreed that Trump and his appointees may decide on how to spend health research funds allocated by Congress. Upon taking office in January, Trump issued an executive order 'ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.' A few weeks later, the acting director of the National Institutes of Health said the agency would no longer fund 'low-value and off-mission research programs, including but not limited to studies based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender identity.' More than 1,700 grants were canceled. Trump's lawyers told the court NIH had terminated grants to study 'Buddhism and HIV stigma in Thailand'; 'intersectional, multilevel and multidimensional structural racism for English- and Spanish-speaking populations'; and 'anti-racist healing in nature to protect telomeres of transitional age BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] for health equity.' California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and his counterparts from 15 Democratic-led states had sued to halt what they called an 'unprecedented disruption to ongoing research.' They were joined by groups of researchers and public health advocates. The state attorneys said their public universities were using grant money for 'projects investigating heart disease, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, alcohol and substance abuse, mental-health issues, and countless other health conditions.' They said NIH had terminated a grant for a University of California study examining how inflammation, insulin resistance, and physical activity affect Alzheimer's disease in Black women, a group with higher rates and a more aggressive profile of the disease. Also terminated they said was a University of Hawaiʻi study that aimed to identify genetic and biological risk factors for colorectal cancer among Native Hawaiians, a population with increased incidence and mortality rates of that disease. In June, the Democratic state attorneys won a ruling from U.S. District Judge William G. Young, a Reagan appointee. He said the sudden halt to research grants violated a federal procedural law because it was 'arbitrary' and poorly explained. He said Trump had required agencies 'to focus on eradicating anything that it labels as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ('DEI'), an undefined enemy.' He said he had tried and failed to get a clear definition of DEI and what it entailed. When the 1st Circuit Court refused to lift the judge's order, Trump's Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer appealed to the Supreme Court in late July. He noted the justices in April had set aside a similar decision from a Boston-based judge who blocked the new administration's canceling of education grants. The solicitor general argued that Trump's order rescinded an executive order from President Biden in 2021 that mandated 'an ambitious whole-of-government equity agenda' and instructed federal agencies to 'allocate resources to address the historic failure to invest sufficiently, justly, and equally in underserved communities.' He said the new administration decided these DEI-related grants 'do nothing to expand our knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness.'
