DuPage taxing bodies reign in ballot questions

Few government agencies in DuPage County are seeking voter approval for tax increases on the Feb. 2 ballot.

Only nine ballot questions were submitted to the DuPage Election Commission by Thursday's deadline. Just seven of those involve taxes.

Villa Park is asking residents to support a street improvement plan that would be financed by increasing the village sales tax by half a percent and borrowing $27.5 million. The sales tax hike would bring in an additional $1.5 million a year, officials estimate. The village would pay off the $27.5 million loan by increasing property taxes, which would translate to about $200 more a year for the owner of a $250,000 house, officials said.

The Carol Stream Park District is seeking voter approval to borrow $37 million to build a new recreational center with an indoor pool to replace the Aldrin Community Center. Residents wouldn't see an increase in their taxes if the measure is approved, but they would not get an anticipated decrease in property taxes until the year 2030. The owner of a $300,000 house would save about $30 a year if the measure fails.

Winfield voters are once again being asked to support plans to borrow $1.8 million to update the village library to make it handicapped accessible. The same measure failed in April by a 183-vote margin.

DuPage County residents living in an unincorporated area near Bensenville who live within the boundaries of the Bensenville Fire Protection District No. 1 are being asked to support a property tax rate hike. The rate increase is being sought so residents living in the southern portion of the district can maintain fire protection services of the Elmhurst Fire Department. The 60 percent of the taxpayers who live in the northern section and are serviced by the Bensenville Fire Protection District No. 2 would see no benefit, said Dist. 1 President Donovan Heinz. The owner of a $250,000 house would see an increase of about $110 a year in property taxes if approved.

Wayne residents are also being asked to support a property tax hike to plug a budget hole of about $350,000. Village officials said sales, income and utility taxes are down, which caused the need to increase property taxes above what is allowed by state law. Village property taxes for the owner of a $500,000 house would jump from about $522 a year to $804 a year if approved.

Also, Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A officials are seeking a property tax hike, Elmhurst Community Unit District 205 officials need voter approval to use the District 205 Center at 162 S. York Road as classrooms and voters in the Westmont Surface Water Protection District No. 1 are being asked if the body should be dissolved.