By Chris Fox
When Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board held its regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 15, the meeting included a presentation about the estimated tax levy increase for the district for 2022. Chris Whelton, the district’s assistant superintendent of finance and operations, gave the presentation. The total property taxes for the district extended for 2021 were about $135.8 million. The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2022 amount to nearly $145 million, which represents a 6.76 percent increase over 2021.
The board will hold a public hearing regarding the levy before its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13. Whelton noted that the levy is a request, and that the district typically levies more than it anticipates it will receive. The extension is what ends up going on the tax bills. He said the figures related to new construction in the district, which haven’t been released yet, will affect the amount the district eventually receives.
He added that the owner of a home in the district valued at $500,000, with no new construction, could expect their District 205 portion of their property taxes to increase by about $344, or about 4.81 percent from the previous year.
Whelton said that property taxes provide about 82 percent of the district’s funding. He said the expenditures in the district’s 2023 budget would be about $161.2 million, which would include transfers (from other district funds) of about $19.85 million. Those transfers would help to fund the increased scopes in construction and renovation projects at the district’s schools. The district’s fund balance is projected to be about $57.5 million at the end of its 2023 fiscal year and drop to about $41.2 million by the end of its 2027 fiscal year.
Collins fears some might be ‘priced out of the district’
Board member Jim Collins said that Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the nation, and that DuPage County has the highest property taxes in the state. He said he was worried about some residents being priced out of the district. He suggested it might be time to spend some of its reserve money to help taxpayers in the form of tax abatement.
Later in the meeting, board members voted 4-1 to approve a resolution regarding the amount to be levied for 2022. Collins provided the lone vote against approving the resolution.
