Letter To The Editor: Stewart Talks of Efforts To Spearhead Piasa Hills Sewer Tax Refunds, Woman Shows Appreciation

In October 2019, the Village of Godfrey sold its entire sewer system, including the Piasa Hills portion, to the Illinois American Water Company. With the sale proceeds, the Village retired all obligations associated with the sewer system. Due to this sale and retirement of the obligations, these taxes were no longer necessary, but property owners were already billed for the whole year of 2019.

So, knowing this was unfair to those taxpayers, Village Trustee and Mayoral candidate, Mark Stewart took the lead to refund five months (November 2019-March 2020, due to tax cycle dates) of pre-paid sewer taxes back to the property owners in Piasa Hills. Stewart put refunding the five months of Piasa Hills sewer taxes on the March 2, 2021 Village agenda and the board voted in agreement. The refunds totaled over $32,000 to the property owners.

“It is absolutely appropriate for the Village to refund the property owners in Piasa Hills for the five months of 2019 sewer taxes, back to when the sewer system was sold!” stated Stewart. “Plus, the 2020 tax levy for sewer tax has already been abated and removed from the tax bills, saving residents upwards of $500-600 a year.”

Stewart heard from and met with Sandra Olive, a Piasa Hills resident (pictured) after she received her refund check of $170 . Sandra was elated about the refund and to no longer have to pay the sewer tax and had this to say about it, “without Mark’s (Stewart) insistence, we wouldn’t have received the refund and would be still paying for that sewer tax.” Stewart was pleased to have gone to bat for the residents of Piasa Hills to help them get back what was rightfully theirs.

“I took the lead, brought the five-month sewer tax refund request to the board and we got it done!” said Stewart. “I will always fight for fairness for all residents, and I am glad all the trustees agreed. We can make good things happen with leadership and by working as a team.”

If you want a Mayor who will put the Godfrey residents first, then Mark Stewart is your candidate for Godfrey Mayor. Please vote early or on Election Day April 6 and vote Mark Stewart for Godfrey Mayor.

Details about Mark and his solutions for Godfrey can be found at MarkStewartforGodfreyMayor.com.

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