Dist. 203 taxpayers: Prepare for 2.5 percent jump on your spring tax bill

The average Naperville homeowner will see a 2.5 percent increase on the Naperville Unit District 203 portion of their property tax bill next spring.

The district' s tentative levy for 2007, to be collected in 2008, is about $183.4 million, a 4.5 percent increase from last year.

However, Dave Zager, assistant superintendent for finance, said the actual levy most likely will come in around $182.1 million, or 3.8 percent more than 2006.

The actual figure will depend on how much new construction there is in the district.

Zager said the expected tax rate will be about $3.90 compared to $4.07 in 2006. Despite the rate going down, home values are expected to go up about 7 percent on average, leaving taxpayers with about a 2.5 percent bump to the school portion of their bill.

"If an individual's assessed value goes up higher than the average, it would be higher than that; if it goes up less than the average, it would be lower than that," Zager said.

Because the total increase over last year's levy is less than 5 percent, the district does not have to conduct a public hearing, but Zager suggested the district take time to hear from residents during the public comment portion of the next school board meeting before the board votes on the levy.

The meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the district administrative center, 203 W. Hillside Road.