Tax Hike Consultant In Western Springs

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Western Springs trustees this week decided to pay a consultant up to $77,000 to look into imposing a stormwater fee.

The consultant, Raftelis, is set to take part in the second phase of the fee study.

Village officials are looking to charge the fee based on the amount of impervious surfaces on a property. Such surfaces are often blamed for flooding.

Officials say a fee would, among other things, help pay for flood control in the Ridgewood and Springdale neighborhoods, where projects are expected to be in the millions.

In the next phase, the consultant is expected to calculate the impervious surfaces on properties and come up with a fee structure.

Under the agreement, the consultant also will coordinate public education about the fee.

On Monday, the Village Board approved an agreement with Raftelis.

It also set a referendum for Nov. 8 on whether to increase the sales tax rate by 1 percent to pay for street and drainage projects.