Increase ends three years of keeping levy flat
HUNTLEY – Consolidated School District 158 will seek a $55.7 million levy for 2013, marking a 1.7 percent increase from 2012 and the district’s first increased levy in four years.
“We’d love to keep [the levy] flat again but at some point in time we need to pass that increase along to the community and we figured at 1.7 percent it’s something that most people should be able to afford as an increase in property taxes,” Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer said.
The District, which receives about 65 percent of its revenue from property taxes, will raise the levy to match the Consumer Price Index increase of 1.7 percent. This is expected to add about $915,000 in finances for the district to cover its increasing costs.
About 75 percent of the district’s total costs go toward paying salaries and benefits, according to Altmayer.
“Those are increasing year after year,” he said.
Before accounting for fluctuations in the equalized assessed value of a home, an owner of a home valued at $200,000 could expect to pay $53 more in taxes to the district. That figure is based on homes whose value dropped by about 4.3 percent, the estimated drop in 2013 EAV based on reports by McHenry and Kane County assessors.
If a home’s value stays the same, increases, or decreases by less than 4.3 percent, that owner will most likely be paying a larger share to the district, and therefore could see a greater increase in their bill. These variables in EAV are what Altmayer said cause confusion among taxpayers and make some believe the district is spending too much.
“The fact of the matter is we’re not spending too much money,” he said. “If you look at us versus any other school district in Kane or McHenry County that is a consolidated district, we’re spending the least amount per pupil out there.”
According to the 2013 Illinois District Report Card, District 158 held an operating expenditure per pupil of $8,450 for the 2011-2012 school year. This was below the state average of $11,842.
Altmayer also pointed to efforts like the One-to-One initiative, which will supply all kindergarten through seventh grade students with tablet devices by next year, and Huntley High School’s blended classes which combine online and in-class learning, as evidence of the value homeowners receive from their taxes.
One cost the increased levy will not cover is the expansion of Huntley High School, set to begin this spring. That $35 million project will be funded entirely by a $39 million state construction grant.
3 Comments
As a resident of Sun City, Huntley it appears that e district 158 and the State of Illinois could care less about the residents of our retirement community. If the State of Illinois charged businesses more tax, they would not have to levy real estate to make up the inadequacy and failure to increase their share of the taxes.
We are a community that has to pay close 2/3 of our taxes to a school system and we are not even allowed to have children live in our community. That being said, I pay over $10,000.00 in property tax and $6900.00 goes to the school system. I am not opposed to paying taxes for good schools, however, this amount is outrageous.
The state should fund this 35 million project and more. The fear of taxing business and forcing them to move to states that have lower taxes. is what needs to be addressed. There are many residents living in this Del Webb community who are upside down on their Mortgages because the taxes are higher than what the house is worth.
As a resident of Sun City, Huntley it appears that e district 158 and the State of Illinois could care less about the residents of our retirement community. If the State of Illinois charged businesses more tax, they would not have to levy real estate to make up the inadequacy and failure to increase their share of the taxes. We are a community that has to pay close 2/3 of our taxes to a school system and we are not even allowed to have children live in our community. That being said, I pay over $10,000.00 in property tax and $6900.00 goes to the school system. I am not opposed to paying taxes for good schools, however, this amount is outrageous. The state should fund this 35 million project and more. The fear of taxing business and forcing them to move to states that have lower taxes. is what needs to be addressed. There are many residents living in this Del Webb community who are upside down on their Mortgages because the taxes are higher than what the house is worth. – See more at: www.mysundaynews.com/2014/01/16/new-tax-levy-for-d158-up-1-7-percent/#sthash.zEPOmBJb.dpuf
CAN WE FIND AN ATTORNEY THAT COULD CHALLENGE THE TOWNSHIP AND LOWER OUR TAX RATE. I THINK THAT IF WE ALL CHALLENGE AS A GROUP OF 68 HOMEOWNERS IT MIGHT WORK. WHEN I LIVED IN GLENVIEW AN ATTORNEY WAS ABLE TO LOWER OUR TAXES BY 20% AND HIS FEE WAS 25% OF THE SAVINGS