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* Our Story * Your Story * Policy Research * Take Action Donate Illinois’ comeback story starts here. instagram-white facebook twitter youtube * HOME * OUR STORY * Leadership * Staff * Senior Fellows * Jobs * Annual Reports * YOUR STORY * TAKE ACTION * Lawmakers * Contact Your Rep * Join The Fight * POLICY RESEARCH * Budget + Tax * Criminal Justice * Good Government * Jobs + Growth * Labor * Pensions * REPORTS * CARTOONS * PRESS RELEASES * POLICY SHOP * FAQS * CONTACT * NEWSLETTER SIGNUP * SEARCH * DONATE * Illinois Policy Institute * Illinois Policy * PRIVACY POLICY instagram-white facebook twitter youtube Linda Ekendahl Budget + Tax by September 30, 2022 twitter facebook LINDA EKENDAHL “It’s pretty crazy. I went to my parents at 27 years old and said, ‘Hey Mom, I need our home equity for this loan to take out $120,000 for a business you’ve never heard of – selling fruit that looks like flower arrangements.’ I never thought about what could go wrong. That never crossed my mind. And 18 years later my Edible Arrangements stores are still in business, but Illinois property taxes are making it difficult to stay here.” “And now they want another property tax hike with this constitutional amendment? It’s just too much.” Related ILLINOIS FORWARD 2023: ONLY PENSION, BUDGET REFORM CAN SAVE TAXPAYERS WHEN FEDERAL AID ENDS “I moved here from Connecticut because my former business partner was from Indiana and we both liked the idea of living in Chicago. We started out renting, and as our business grew I felt confident about buying a location. I found one in Oak Park for $320,000 and thought, ‘I can totally do this.’” “The previous owners received a property tax bill for about $9,000 – the vacant rate – so I knew I was going to end up having to pay around $18,000 or $19,000, the occupied rate. Then that first year our property taxes were $29,000. It went up by $10,000. I’ll never forget how my bank just called me up and said: ‘We have a deficit for the escrow and it’s due tomorrow. I’m going to need $10,000.’ Who makes a phone call like that? I was so pissed.” “$10,000 in unexpected costs really affects your bottom line.” “When I first got that bill for $10,000, I went to the township office. The staff was really kind and helped with the appeal, but I was denied twice filing on my own. Finally, after hiring a tax lawyer, I was able to get some relief.” “When I started speaking to other people who owned commercial properties in Oak Park, I found out very quickly that these people don’t suffer as much as I do because they have mixed units. And there wasn’t even a comparable in Oak Park to show another commercial retail-storefront property like mine. Other properties tend to be mixed-use, so their property taxes don’t rise as fast as mine.” “I hope the property taxes don’t push me out into that level where I’m going to have to move because moving a business is also expensive. I’m hopeful it will work out, but I might have to be creative.” “I was hoping that having a mortgage payment would be my security and that paying it off would help me in a sense of having something for my future. I want to leave a legacy for my son. I’ve been doing Edible Arrangements for over 18 years, but the thought of paying around $3,000 a month in taxes, every single month, is a lot of money that I could have used to pay for a property or several properties. I thought buying was a pretty smart move, but I didn’t realize how costly the property taxes would be.” “It’s a constant conversation. Even in our Facebook groups, people are always talking about their property taxes rising a ridiculous amount. It’s never like $1,000 or $500. It’s always like something obscene and astronomical.” “And now that we’re voting on another hike with Amendment 1, our struggle to keep the status quo will continue. I’m thankful I have the money to even pay thousands of dollars for a tax lawyer, but if I didn’t, I just don’t know what I’d do.” “I’m not confident I could sell. I mean, who would ever purchase a 1,700-square-foot retail shop with a $30,000 annual tax bill? And under Amendment 1 they would rise even faster? I can’t even imagine that.” “If I could do it all over again, I think I would have just stayed in my first location and paid rent. Not just for the money and cost, but the time, energy and frustration of navigating the property tax system just wasn’t worth it.” Linda Ekendahl Owner, Edible Arrangements Oak Park, Illinois WANT MORE? GET STORIES LIKE THIS DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. Thank you, we'll keep you informed! Keep scrolling for more inspiring stories HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Tell us how a state or local policy affects your life. If we decide to feature your story, one of our writers will reach out to you directly. Chicago Office | Illinois Policy 300 S. Riverside Plaza | 1650 | Chicago, IL 60606 t 312.346.5700 f 312.896.2500 Springfield Office | Illinois Policy 802 South 2nd Street | Springfield, IL 62704 t 217.528.8800 f 312.212.5277 e info@illinoispolicy.org instagram-white facebook twitter youtube Copyright © 2022 Illinois Policy | Illinois' comeback story starts here This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. results for Sort by: Relevance | Date Load More