The arrival in the mail of the First Installment due for the annual Cook County Property Tax seems as good an opportunity as any to assess strategic priorities for Oak Park now and going forward.
Let us all for the moment put ourselves in the shoes of someone who bought a home in Oak Park, 10, 20, 30, maybe even 40 years ago. Over that time, many of these homeowners invested in major rehabilitation efforts spending tens of thousands of dollars improving kitchens and bathrooms, making living spaces out of attics and basements, and upgrading electrical and HVAC systems. Their home values increased as a result not only of the physical improvements but as part of an upward market trend and positive aspects of Oak Park relative to other communities.
By now, for many Oak Park homeowners, the equity in their home represents a major portion of their financial assets. It is in the interest of these homeowners to ensure that the market value of their home does not decline and with any luck will increase.
These longstanding homeowners and believers in Oak Park are not delighted that property taxes are as high as they are, but some of us understand that it is the price to be paid for a community that has a great school system and an excellent police and fire force. And over the years this very walkable village has become a place in which many of us want to live.
I happen to fall into the category of one “who bought a home in Oak Park, 10, 20, 30, maybe even 40 years ago” and “over that time … invested in major rehabilitation efforts.” I am going to take an educated guess that I am not the only resident in Oak Park falling into this category.
I believe that all policy decisions made by the two school boards in Oak Park and the village board should consider the following two questions, among others of course, when deciding upon any proposal:
1. Is the announcement or consequent result of this decision likely to increase, or decrease, the public perception of the quality of Oak Park schools?
2. Is the announcement or consequent result of this decision likely to increase, or decrease, the public perception of public safety in Oak Park?
Why do I suggest this? Because the two basic things that anyone considering buying a home in Oak Park will wonder about are schools and crime. Anything else is far down the list.
I ask my fellow Oak Parkers, especially longtime homeowners like me, to consider the kinds of decisions that our two school boards and village board have made; assess the degree to which these decisions may have impacted, or will impact, public perceptions of school quality and public safety; and then base your April 1 voting on the results of your considerations and analysis.
Christopher Damon
Oak Park resident since 1987
Oak Park Library Trustee (1993-1997)