Bradshaw Challenges Baxley on Property Tax Assessments at County Board Meeting

The White County Board met with a concise agenda, but the highlight of that night was, according to the Bradshaws, they had a 200% tax increase on their properties.

Jack Bradshaw came prepared to show board members the intense price difference in just a year, with Bradshaw claiming their taxes increased more than $2,000 from the year prior.

Reopening his case sounded like a series of phone calls to the Supervisor of Assessments, Gary Baxley, the Appeal Board and the State Board of Appeals in the Illinois Department of Revenue, and State’s Attorney Chris Neal.

“So I went through the procedures of trying to get this rectified. I called Gary Baxley on the phone and asked what could be done about this. And he said, Jack, you just pay the taxes. You got the money, you just pay the taxes. He hangs the phone up on me. So I immediately went to the office and asked if I could talk with him. He said, sure, I’ll talk with you. I just want to know if there’s anything to be done about this. He said, no, Jack. He said, it’s rental property. He said, you’re getting $550 and $600 a month rent on these properties up there. And he said, this is what I base it on.”

Bradshaw stated that after that, he went through several phone calls and ultimately concluded that if the White County Board did not reopen his case, the only option left would be to sue, which he said he did not want to do.

Bradshaw said some properties in question are a 12 by 20 shed on sleds that he claimed Amy Edwards would not reassess because she said it wasn’t completed.

Supervisor of Assessments Gary Baxley attended the meeting with a packet of information and pictures that, according to him, showed that properties had been updated inside and out.

“Now, I don’t know why I come in here and listen to all of, he didn’t tell much of anything, truth, and I ain’t listening to this bulls***. We had 11.8% equalizer last year. We had a big one this year. This stuff out here is from a farm he’s got that’s not done. He’s getting $150 a night to rent it on Airbnb.”

Board members agreed to discuss and possibly reopen the case, with Baxley  and board member David South commenting,

Baxley: “Ya’ll want the taxes to come out well on time, that we open the board of review for one person we’re opening up for other people to come in too.

South: “We are a public servant.”

Baxley: “I understand that very well.”

South: “And if people of this county has questions about their taxes we should make it available for them to find it. We’re gonna find more information what needs to be done Gary.”

Baxley: “I know what needs to be done; what do you think my job is.”

The board moved onto the consent agenda; all items were approved.

Only two items were on the agenda for new business. The board accepted the approval of the White County Fiscal Year 2025 Provisional Budget but tabled the Carmi Affordable Solar project by SolAmerica. The members wanted more time to read through the application clearly, have all their questions answered, and talk to residents in that area.

The following White County Board meeting will be on November 20th at 7 PM.