Property Owner's Argument AGAINST The Proposed Skokie Park District 20 Year $53 Million Bond Referendum

Property Owner's Argument AGAINST

The Proposed Skokie Park District

20 Year $53 Million Bond Referendum

To the Residents and Taxpayers of Skokie:

While the concept of transforming an old industrial site into Channelside Park South and updating Sports Park East sounds appealing on paper, we must look at the real, long-term price tag. The Skokie Park District is asking voters to approve a 20 Year $53 million bond referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

Voting "No" on this referendum isn't about opposing green space; it is about protecting Skokie families, seniors, businesses and all property owners from a sizable and unnecessary, mandatory 20-year financial burden. Skokie already has 45 beautiful parks and 18 superb recreational facilities as it stands!

Here is why this proposal is a bad deal for Skokie taxpayers:

1. Two Decades of Guaranteed Tax Hikes

This is not a temporary fee or a one-time cost. If approved, this referendum locks in a property tax increase for the next 20 years.

• According to the Park District’s own analysis, the owner of a home with a fair market value of $400,000 will pay an average of an additional $144 every single year.
• Over the 20-year life of the bond, that amounts to nearly $3,000 out of pocket for all homeowners.
• For residents with homes valued at $600,000, that burden jumps to over $4,400 over the bond term.

2. Squeezing Fixed-Income Seniors and Renters

An extra $144 a year might sound manageable to some, but property taxes in Cook County are already a massive strain. For Skokie’s significant population of seniors living on fixed incomes, every dollar counts. A 20-year tax hike threatens their ability to age in place comfortably. Furthermore, this tax hike will impact renters. Landlords facing increased commercial property tax rates (which are assessed at a higher rate of 25% of market value in Cook County) will inevitably pass these costs down to tenants, making housing in Skokie less affordable.

3. Skokie Faces Compounding Tax Burdens

The Park District’s tax estimator explicitly notes that their projection only accounts for this specific bond and "does not account for any increases in tax rates in other funds... or by any other taxing body."

Skokie residents are already facing essential cost increases, new taxes and fees from other local entities, including mandatory multimillion-dollar village infrastructure investments (such as replacing lead water service lines) and school district levies. We cannot afford to add a $53 million luxury park project on top of our existing, non-negotiable tax obligations.

4. Wants vs. Needs: A Question of Priority

The Park District boasts a 92% favorability rating, and our existing facilities are already highly rated for quality and safety. Do we need a new $53 million complex featuring a bandshell, splash pads, cricket fields and an indoor sports center when residents are already highly satisfied with our current infrastructure?

During uncertain economic times, local government entities should be practicing fiscal restraint, not asking residents to take on significant, long term debts for "nice-to-have" recreational expansions.

Conclusion: A "YES" vote will lock your household into a 20-year financial obligation! Let's protect our wallets, keep our community affordable, and vote “NO” on the Park District $53 million bond referendum this November.

Respectfully,

Sheldon Wernikoff