Property Tax Measure Eyed In Western Springs

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Western Springs officials spoke Monday about putting a property tax measure before voters.

The money would likely go to streets and water and sewer lines.

The city's previous referendums were for roads only – $6.5 million in 2008 and $12 million in 2016.

At a Village Board meeting, officials did not say when the referendum for the property tax would take place. And they did not say what type of effect it would have on taxes.

"Referendums have been a go-to for our large-scale projects on an annual basis," Deputy Village Manager Casey Biernacki told the board. "We're not alone. A lot of municipalities in the area use referendums.

An engineering firm's study will help the village make the case for needed improvements, Village Manager Ellen Baer said. The information would show residents how an infrastructure referendum would benefit every neighborhood in town, she said.

The study showed that Western Springs has $61 million in needs for its streets and water and sewer systems.

If the referendum passes, officials said the village would go into debt to make the improvements a reality.