"Taxes May Rise If Golf Courses Get Tax Break"

Claudia Lenart reports on an appeal by historic Onwentsia Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois, where country club land "would be granted open space status and therefore would receive a zero assessment."

Lenart focuses on the likely tax rise for residents should the appeal succeed:

Because the Park Ridge Country Club has a private golf course, Park Ridge taxpayers would likely have to pay more into the tax coffers if the country club stops contributing.

In the Barrington-Lake Zurich area, home to numerous golf courses and country clubs, Ela Township Assessor John Barrington said Ela Township has all or part of seven golf courses that pay over $250,000 in taxes that would be shouldered by residents.

“Somebody will have to pick up this money. It doesn’t go away; it just gets redistributed,” Barrington said.