Village Board Splits Over Tax Levy

The board split Thursday night over the village’s proposed tax levy for next year.

Trustees Anne Banks, Pamela Beavers and Gina Cunningham-Picek voted in favor of the levy, which will raise taxes about $10 for the average Woodridge resident.

Trustees Greg Abbott, Joseph Kagann and David Pittinger voted against it.

That left Mayor William F. Murphy as the tie-breaker. Murphy voted in favor of the levy, and it passed.

The village’s 2011 proposed tax levy is $3,137,000. That’s $59,629, or 3 percent, more, than what the village received in taxes last year.

The library’s 2011 proposed levy is $3,828,500. That’s $40,505, or 2 .2 percent, more than what the library received in taxes last year.

Add these two levies to the interest and principal needed to pay debt and you get the village’s grant total proposed tax levy of $9,122,422.50.

Only one resident, Louis Wardin, offered public comment concerning the levy at the meeting. He argued the Woodridge Public Library should make cuts in its budget to reduce the tax burden on residents. He told the board the scope of the library was “overkill for a village this size.”

Following the vote, Wardin said he was “disappointed." 

“It’s the typical split vote that occurs whenever someone challenges something, and the mayor is the tie-breaker,” he said. “We have a difference in opinion in how taxpayers’ money should be spent.”

Abbott, Kagann and Pittinger all said they voted against a tax increase because there were areas where cuts could be made. 

“We should be able to find $60,000 somewhere in $3 million (to cut),” Pittinger said.

“People don’t want to see a tax increase, especially when several other taxing bodies are increasing their taxes, too. I think it would mean a lot to residents if something didn’t go up.”

They pointed to the as one example where cuts could be made. 

Though the levy passed, Kagann said the 3-4 vote against it sends a message. 

“It was more a measure to show people we’re watching it,” Kagann said. “It shows people are thinking about it.” 

Two years ago, the board had a similar situation, Kagann said. There was a 2-4 vote against a tax increase. Maybe next time there will be enough votes to block a tax increase, he said. 

Beavers and Banks declined to comment as to why they voted in favor of the proposed tax levy. Patch was not able to catch Murphy or Cunningham-Picek on their way out.

However, following the vote, Murphy made a point to tout an “accomplishment,” “certainly worth of note:” The typical village tax bill has increased $18 in the past 20 years.  It was $220 in 1991 and has increased to $238 in 2011.