Glenbrook District 225 Board Adopts Estimated Property Tax Levy

GLENVIEW, IL — The Glenbrook High School District 225 board approved an estimated property tax levy for 2017 at its meeting Monday night. The estimated levy of more than $106 million represents a 4.4 percent increase over last year's extension, according to the district. It was unanimously approved by board members.

The increase was calculated by combining the 2.1 percent increase from inflation with a 2.3 percent estimate aimed at capturing any new property growth within the tax base.

“The action taken by the Board allows the district to maintain generational equity for our families and residents who benefit from high educational standards and high property values, respectively,” said Board President Skip Shein.

Cook County school districts are limited to hiking property tax extensions above the current rate of inflation under state law. But the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law allows school districts to get additional revenue from new properties introduced to the tax base.

“The estimated levy allows the district to meet annual expenses to educate our students, as well as additional needs due to growth in student enrollment,” said Assistant Superintendent R.J. Gravel.

As a result, school districts often approve a levy greater than what they will end up getting because the potential value of new property is an unknown.

Under the law, districts are only provided with one chance to capture revenue from new growth, so school boards must set the estimated levy months before the value of new property is assessed.

Gravel cautioned that the 4.4 increase to the estimated levy does not necessarily mean the tax bills of property owners will rise as a result.

“Many factors contribute to how a property owner’s taxes are determined, and so it’s important that taxpayers not equate the levy request amount with an assumed increase in their individual property taxes,”

District officials expect the largest property growth in its near future will take place when new property in The Glen is introduced to the tax base during levy year 2022.

Although no Truth in Taxation hearing is legally required – because the amount of the estimated levy increase is less than five percent – the board announced it would hold such a hearing during its Dec. 11 meeting.

More information about the estimated tax levy, including answers to frequently asked questions, is available from the Glenbrook High School District 225 website.

_{Top photo: Hallway of Glenbrook South High School | Patch archive}