Kane forest preserve levy rises, but not tax bills

Kane County Forest Preserve District commissioners this week increased the property tax levy by the maximum amount for the second straight year. The move comes in response to rising costs, but the amount of money local taxpayers will pay to the district will still be less overall.

The district's 2018 budget calls for an 11.35 percent spending increase from the district's largest fund. The budget includes a 3 percent increase in full and part-time salaries. Insurance costs for employees and retirees will also rise 6 percent. The budget also forecasts a 2.08 percent increase in commodities expenses, such as for police uniforms, office supplies and maintenance. Those costs add up to about $10.4 million in expenditures from the general fund or a little more than $1 million in new spending.

District President Mike Kenyon said two long-term district employees recently left for better-paying jobs. That shows the leanness of the district's operations and the need to increase salaries, he said.

"It's pretty hard for us to keep up with what everyone else is paying," Kenyon said. "If you want to maintain quality forest preserves, you've got to keep up. Our employees don't need to work for nothing."

Commissioners agreed, without a single "no" vote, to increase the general property tax by 17.81 percent to account for new growth and the cost of living.

The good news for taxpayers is they won't feel that pinch in their taxes paid to the district. Officials will retire significant chunks of bond debt, lowering the district's property tax levy. In fact, the taxes paid to the district have dropped each year since 2014-15.

That year, the owner of a $250,000 home paid $242 to the district in property taxes. In 2015-16, that same homeowner paid the district $228. The tax bill fell again, to $174, in 2016-17. This year, that homeowner paid the district $128. And next year, even with the recent tax increase to buy more open space, and the levy increases to account for new growth and the cost of living, that $250,000 homeowner will pay $127 to the district.

Finance committee Chairman Mark Davoust said sound financial planning will allow the district to spend more without raising tax bills.

"While our cost of doing business has gone up, and we are trying to recognize that by appropriately levying for it, the increase is very small," Davoust said. "The change in our debt service is in the millions of dollars. As a result, the portion of your tax bill that will go to the forest district will continue to go down."

Davoust pointed out the commissioners, who also serve as county board members, have not adjusted the county tax levy to account for rising expenses like the forest district has. The result, he said, is a deeper deficit hole to fill each year on the county side.