District 220 expects hike in property tax levy

Barrington Area Unit District 220 is proposing a 4.4% increase to its property tax levy for 2020, including a 2.3% cost-of-living hike plus new property growth.

That would amount to a property tax levy of $132 million, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services David Bein told the school board Tuesday night.

However, the actual anticipated levy increase is 2.55%, because the district projects an estimated an $7.5 million in new construction, or a 0.25% increase in the equalized assessed value of the district, plus the cost-of-living increase, Bein said. It's difficult to precisely estimate new construction figures, particularly in Cook County, so levying a higher amount ensures all new growth is accounted for under the state's tax cap law, he said.

District 220 lies in Kane, Lake, McHenry and Cook counties. It serves all or part of Barrington, Barrington Hills, Carpentersville, Deer Park, Fox River Grove, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, Port Barrington, South Barrington, and Tower Lakes.

Bein said Wednesday he didn't have an estimate of the projected average increase on homeowners' tax bills under the proposed 2020 levy.

District 220 taxes represent 65% of property tax bills for Barrington residents in Cook County, and 60% for Barrington residents in Lake County.

The district's proposed levy increase is just below the 5% threshold that requires a public hearing under the state's Truth-in-Taxation law. The district will have a public hearing nonetheless, as it has done for the last decade or so, school officials said.

The board will meet via Zoom Dec. 1 due to COVID-19 guidelines. Anyone who wishes to make public comment can send an email to jstark@barrington220.org with the subject line "public comment," or leave a voicemail at (847) 842-3576 by 4 p.m. Dec. 1.

The school board is expected to adopt the final levy Dec. 15.