Tax bills for parks are much higher in Sterling than they are in Dixon, Rock Falls or Oregon.

For a $100,000 house, using the standard homestead exemption, a Sterling homeowner paid $287 in taxes for the Sterling Park District last year. By comparison, the bill in the Coloma Township Park District, which serves Rock Falls, was $165.

The Dixon Park District came in much lower – $128. Lowest in the area was the Oregon Park District at $108, but that's thanks to the nearby nuclear plant, whose tax assessment makes it a big revenue generator.