A revote on the La Salle County tax levy Monday confirmed the same outcome as a previous vote on Nov. 30.

All the business from the Nov. 30 meeting was voted on again due to a question raised by Stephen Carlson, R-Mendota, on whether legal notice had been given for that meeting.

The County Board again approved a proposed 16-percent increase in next year's tax levy from $21 million to $24 million that officials say will not raise the taxes owed the county for property with no change in assessment.

Once again, four County Board members voted against the levy. Arratta Znaniecki, R-Ottawa, and Susan Thornton, R-Ottawa, and said they did not understand how the amount of taxes could increase without increasing taxes on individual property owners. Neither suggested a lower levy amount.

Sandi Billard, R-Oglesby, said her vote against the levy was a protest against the state not paying its share of the expenses toward maintaining the county's juvenile detention home.

Carlson proposed the levy amount be decreased by $753,291. But no other County Board member would second his motion for the levy decrease so it could be discussed and voted upon.

"My brain simply does not understand the concept that we are raising the levy but it will not raise our taxes," Znaniecki said. "To me that's a total oxymoron. Even though Mr. (Tom) Ganiere (D-Ottawa) assured us twice on the floor that this is how it will be, I remain skeptical."

The levy increase is aimed at capturing the estimated increased assessed value in the Exelon power plant in Brookfield Township. Ganiere and other officials have maintained that the county's tax rate will not increase.

"My fear is that the estimated reassessment will be far from the figure that will be ultimately settled upon by both the county board and the nuclear plant and the taxpayers will be left holding the bag," Znaniecki said. " In my thinking, we may be putting the cart before the horse."

Board Chairman Jerry Hicks, D-Marseilles, again confirmed that if it turns our the county has estimated too high on the Exelon plant's value, the levy will be reduced so the tax rate remains the same as last year.

Znaniecki said she also was concerned about the impact of state increases in farmland values of 10 percent this year and 10 percent next year.

Thornton was critical of county spending.

"I was raised with the philosophy that you don't spend money you don't have and you tighten your belt during an economic downturn," said Thornton. "Yet I see no evidence that this is being done. I find it hard to understand why raising a tax levy will not raise property taxes."

Thornton voted for next year's county budget.

Billard said she did not agree with the portion of the tax levy being used for the county's juvenile detention home.

"It is my opinion that the state of Illinois must be held responsible for what it is legally liable for."

She said the state is only funding 40 percent of its obligation.

Russell Boe, R-Ottawa, said the proposed levy was necessary.

"I don't know that we have a choice." Boe said. "If you want to cut something out then we need to get down to brass tacks and do that in the budget before we approve the levy."

He noted a change in a tax levy does not have to equate to a tax increase on property owners.

"The levy can go up and go down and bounce around to satisfy the budget," Boe said. "It doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be an increase in the taxes when you fluctuate with the levy."

In other business:

• Longevity pay was authorized for most county employees instead an increase in their base pay. For instance, those with 1 to 10 years will receive $55 per year, others with 11 to 20 years will receive $65 per year, and employees with 21 or more years will received $75 per year. An employee of 6 years would receive $330 in longevity pay in additional wages, while an employee of 20 years would receive $1,200 in longevity pay in addition to wages.
• An agreement with the village of Naplate was approved to share the use, cost and repairs to the sanitary sewer that serves the county nursing home.

A new procedure was approved for tracking all grants by the county auditor's office. The change stemmed from a suggestion by the county's outside auditor.