How Tax Hike Would Affect Darien Official

DARIEN, IL – Darien Alderman Eric Gustafson is against the proposed tax increase in Center Cass School District 66, which serves parts of Darien and Downers Grove.

He has a sign in his front yard that says his increase will amount to $800 if next month's tax referendum passes. He has revised that number to $724.

Meanwhile, the school district's calculator indicates Gustafson's tax load would rise by $698.

Whatever the case, the tax hike would be a hefty chunk of change. It is a 22.5 percent increase.

Gustafson lives on Wakefield Drive in a house that is assessed at $447,000; he receives owner-occupied and senior exemptions. His most recent District 66 tax bill totaled $3,110. It would jump to $3,808.

The school district says its tax rate is lower than most elementary districts in DuPage County. Even with the tax hike under consideration, its rate would still remain in the bottom half, according to the district.

The proposed tax increase is expected to generate $3 million more a year.

In an interview, Gustafson said the district let its financial problems linger for too long.

"They didn't do anything for five or six years," Gustafson said. "Shame on them for letting it get so bad for so long."

Gustafson said he favors consolidation of District 66, Darien District 61 and Cass District 63, all in the Darien area. But District 66 said it has found such a merger would not save taxpayers' money.

In an email to Patch, Superintendent Andrew Wise said if the referendum passes, the district would take advantage of taxes generated from increases in the tax base to help pay down debt. It would do this while collecting the necessary dollars from the referendum, he said.

By doing this until the debt is paid off, he said, the tax rate would drop each year, saving the community $5 million to $7 million, including unnecessary interest.

The district said it needs to upgrade buildings and noted costs of nearly everything have risen in recent years. Patch wrote a story last month detailing the reasons offered by the district.

The referendum is June 28.

Cass District 63 also has a tax increase proposal on the ballot.

For an owner-occupied home valued at $300,000, Cass 63's tax increase would amount to $246 a year, the district said.

If Cass voters approve the tax hike, the district would go into debt by $13.4 million. The money would pay for building needs and cannot be used for any other purpose, according to the district.