Bartlett reviews proposed decrease in property tax levy

Bartlett officials were pleased to hear Tuesday that the proposed property tax levy for 2013 is 5 percent less than last year’s extension.

Finance Director Jeff Martynowicz said the total levy for the 2013 tax year is nearly $9.4 million. That amount is $500,000 less than the 2012 extension, he said.

The owner of a home with a $300,000 market value is estimated to save $54 a year due to the change, Martynowicz said. That savings comes from a decrease in the general corporate levy and the police pension levy, which was lowered because of positive investments and reduced salary costs.

“That’s very good news,” Martynowicz said. “You don’t see that in this type of (economic) environment, where a pension levy actually goes down, and it’s going down by 5.67 percent.”

There is one proposed abatement for nearly $74,000 for the 2007 bonds, which were used to finance construction of a fire station on the village’s west side.

“It’s another break for the residents,” Martynowicz said.

The debt service levy, however, increased by 9.1 percent to nearly $1.7 million. It includes the principal and interest of 2009 bonds that were used to refund bonds from 2002 and 2005. Those bonds funded ball fields, a bike path, village hall construction and other projects.

About 9 percent of residents’ property tax bills are dedicated to the village, Martynowicz said. The tax rate in Cook County is expected to decrease by about 4 cents for every $100, while the rate in DuPage County is anticipated to increase by about 1 cent for every $100, he said.

A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 19. The levy is set to be adopted on Tuesday, Dec. 3.