Howard Handler
-
The Basics
-
Howard on Patch
-
More Stuff
Comments
-
On the article Mainstreet Organization of Realtors Announces Support for United Lake Zurich
-
On the article Mainstreet Organization of Realtors Announces Support for United Lake Zurich
Howard Handler
11:18 pm on Monday, April 8, 2013
Actually the REALTOR Associations, including Mainstreet, regularly and actively oppose home rule efforts. Not to say that there could not be some isolated instance in which home rule was supported, I am not aware of any recent efforts to support home rule.
-
On the article Mainstreet Organization of Realtors Announces Support for United Lake Zurich
Howard Handler
2:36 pm on Monday, April 8, 2013
Jim -- All Lake Zurich candidates were invited to participate. And in fact, two independent candidates requested candidate questionnaires from us.
Howard Handler
Government Affairs Director (Lake County)
Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS -
On the Blog Post Proposed rule will harm Lake County taxpayers, small business owners
Howard Handler
12:20 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
@Board Guy - There are many leading attorneys and experts that disagree with your interpretation of the Yamaguchi case. That said, there is no indication that Yamaguchi is the basis for this proposal since BOR staff say they will not disclose the basis for this proposal. Additionally, I would suggest that you and everyone else read the Board rules of other counties that explicitly allow non-attorneys, including the state statutes and courts in other states that have explicitly stated that representing property owners before similar bodies does not constitute the unlicensed practice of law.
-
On the Blog Post Proposed rule will harm Lake County taxpayers, small business owners
Howard Handler
11:31 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
I respect your point, but it's very unclear that Yamaguchi is the basis of this proposal since Board of Review staff are very clear that they will not cite the justification behind the rule change. If Yamaguchi is the reason, then it should be disclosed as such and and an opportunity for different interpretations of the case should be afforded. As it stands now there are a number of attorneys and experts that disagree with the interpretation I presume you maintain.
-
On the Blog Post Proposed rule will harm Lake County taxpayers, small business owners
Howard Handler
12:45 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
@Ronnie -- I'll call into the Wrap Up Show to debate your contentions ;)
-
On the Blog Post THIS IS URGENT!!! The Lake County Board of Review is Going To Take Away Your Rights To Appeal Your Property Taxes Unless You Act NOW!!!
Howard Handler
2:30 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
@J - The Board of Review refuses to disclose the basis for reaching this decision. It has been claimed that legal precedent is clear that this is the practice of unlicensed law but they are unwilling to cite the cases.
-
On the Blog Post For most, $10,000 cuts deep
Howard Handler
9:52 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
Thank you for your comments. The REALTORS Assoc. echoes your sentiments that HP's affordable housing program is beneficial -- again, our contention is centered on the funding source. We are pleased we have heard from many in the community that support the program but concur that the funding source should be broadened.
We will have to agree to disagree that nobody loses money or is harmed from the tax. As a reminder, by and large, REALTORS are not builders or developers -- if it was not the Association's view that property owners are not harmed from the tax, there would be no compelling reason for us to advocate against this revenue stream.
-
On the Blog Post For most, $10,000 cuts deep
Howard Handler
9:40 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
Briefly addressing your points:
1. Average sale price is anecdotally interesting, but is not reflective of individual, real life consequences of the tax. It also does not address why a very narrow group of HP property owners are primarily responsible for affordable housing funding.
2. True that the landowner can defer payment -- however, if they exercise that option the tax increases to $15,000. Regardless though of when the tax is paid, the impact will be felt.
3. One deficiency in the world of public policy is that there is not a study for everything under the sun. In those cases we must extrapolate from other studies, theories, and conventional wisdom. We do know of course that land and building costs impact both land values and sales prices. This is a contention shared by the consulting firm of Perkins Eastman which, in studying a demolition tax for the Village of Wilmette opined: “Its cost would [still] likely fall on residents selling houses destined for demolition, because builders (who may be the persons actually paying the tax) would factor the tax into the price they would be willing to pay for the property.”
4. You are correct, in the very narrow situation you describe those property owners would be exempt.
Lastly, and repeatedly, the concerns articulated are not related to merits of affordable housing but rather who has to pay. Will you publicly commit to donating 1% of your gross salary to this effort?
-
On the Blog Post For most, $10,000 cuts deep
Howard Handler
9:11 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
@Andrew - Thank you for your comments. Please know that REALTORS, by and large, are not home builders or developers. Moreover, many new construction homes are built by current and future HP residents, not spec builders. Your concerns related to proportion, tree preservation, and water table damage are valid but a separate issue from who should primarily fund affordable housing efforts in HP.
Howard Handler
11:21 pm on Monday, April 8, 2013
MORe's PAC did support Tom Weber in November 2012 as your link indicates. However, a Google search is not an accurate way to determine which candidates are supported. MORe's PAC is involved in a number of northeast Illinois races. A copy of our past filed reports are available by way of the Illinois State Board of Elections.