Glen Ellyn approves 2.7 percent property tax increase

Glen Ellyn homeowners next spring will see an average 2.7 percent increase in the village and library portion of their property tax bills.

With Village President Alex Demos casting the deciding vote, the village board voted 4-3 this week to adopt the 2013 tax levy that will be collected next year.

The $11,518,349 levy will generate $171,000 in additional money for the village and $110,00 for the library, to be used in the 2014-15 fiscal year budget.

Of the village portion, $91,000 will go toward the operating general fund and the remaining $80,000 into the capital fund.

“Our costs continue to increase for things like health insurance, salaries and general services,” said Kevin Wachtel, the village’s finance director, “and the cost for the village to buy goods and services also increase as time goes on.”

A Glen Ellyn resident with a house worth $420,000 — the average home value in the village — will pay an additional $33 in village property taxes.

At its Nov. 12 meeting the village board voted to contribute $870,000 for the volunteer fire company through a flat fee on the water bill instead of a property tax increase that would have meant an additional $99 on the average tax bill.

Previously the fire company received a $105,000 annual contribution from the village and relied mainly on donations.

Trustees Dean Clark, McGinley and Tim O’Shea voted in favor of the levy. Trustees Tim Elliott, Robert Friedberg and Pete Ladesic opposed it.