La Grange Debates Taxing To Max

LA GRANGE, IL – The staff at La Grange Village Hall asked to increase the village's annual property tax levy by 5 percent, the maximum allowed under state law.

But after a debate Monday, only one trustee went along with the recommendation.

Since the state's tax limitation law took effect in the early 1990s, local government bodies have never had the chance to hike their levies by 5 percent.

Under the law, a public entity can raise its levy by the rate of inflation up to 5 percent. In the last three decades, inflation has never reached 5 percent until this year. As of last December, it was 7 percent.

Trustees Peggy Peterson and Beth Augustine said they leaned toward 5 percent to keep up with cost increases and maintain the village's level of services.

Trustee Lou Gale, though, proposed 4 percent, which would mean $90,000 less than going with 5 percent. He said many residents were facing a multitude of cost increases, but receiving no raises.

Trustee Michael Kotynek agreed.

"I understand inflation and supporting village services," he said. "At the same time, there is a gesture to be made, where, yes, we are increasing property taxes in La Grange, but we aren't maxing out."

The challenge to staff, he said, would be to find efficiencies with $90,000 less.

The trustees voted 5-1 against the staff's 5 percent hike. The majority consisted of Kotynek, Gale, Augustine, Shawana McGee and Tim O'Brien. Peterson was the lone dissenter.

Village President Mark Kuchler was absent because his mother recently died.

After the vote, Augustine asked the village's finance director, Lou Cipparrone, whether the trustees were putting La Grange in a "tricky situation."

He said the village would lose the ability to tax by the extra amount in later years.

"It becomes a more significant number going forward," Cipparrone said. "What it pays for is one full-time position in the village, so it's a significant number for us."

Kotynek said, "The challenge is for the village staff to make the most of what we have."

The Village Board then voted unanimously for the 4 percent hike.

In Burr Ridge and Darien, the local boards are poised to keep their levies the same. Darien hasn't raised its levy in more than a decade.

Lyons Township High School and Hinsdale High School District 86 seem positioned to raise their tax levies to the limit.