LTHS May Tax To Max Again: Financial Forecast

LA GRANGE, IL – Lyons Township High School is basing its long-range budget forecast on raising the property tax levy to the maximum for a second year.

Late last year, the school board voted to increase the property tax levy by 5 percent. Many other districts did the same.

Districts were allowed to enact such hikes because the consumer price index had risen so much. Last year was the first time that districts could go up to 5 percent since the state's tax limitation law took effect in 1991.

The next tax increase will be based on December 2022's consumer price index, which remained over 5 percent.

At this week's board meeting, Brian Stachacz, director of business services, said the forecast shows the school is not heading toward deficit spending in the coming years.

"What's driving this right now is the two 5 percent increases. We have implemented one and (there is) one potentially for next year," he said.

He said the 5 percent increases are a lot for taxpayers, but said the school doesn't operate in a vacuum from the economy. When residents see gasoline prices rise, he said, so does the school.

One concern with the budget is employee benefits, Stachacz said. They rose to $11.5 million last year, up from $10.3 million the year before, a 12 percent hike.

Most of that increase, Stachacz said, is attributable to health insurance.