Naperville Park District approves tax levy increase despite two 'no' votes

The Naperville Park District board approved an increased tax levy following a debate over the additional cost being passed on to residents.

Commissioners Josh McBroom and Rich Janor voted against the tax increase that adds approximately $17 to the annual property tax bill for the owner of a $421,000 home. Park district officials said the increase is necessary to support the 2023 budget that calls for $50.8 million in expenditures, which is an increase of 6% from 2022.

While supportive of the effort by staff to compile a budget during a time of rising costs and inflation, McBroom said he couldn't vote for the added tax burden.

"It's my position that if we were to keep the tax levy flat, that our operations would be fine, and we'd maintain our bond rating," McBroom said. "Municipalities, like the park district, are in a tough spot ... fuel costs and everything we have to purchase, and labor issues.

"I'm not blind to those things, but residents have those same issues," he said. "They don't have an ability to offset those costs by raising taxes or fees on anyone else."

After a 5-2 vote to approve the tax levy, the board unanimously approved the budget to support 136 parks and 2,400 acres of land.

Officials say the park district accounts for 4.73% of the total tax bill for Naperville residents, and 54% of revenue comes from property taxes.

Echoing McBroom's comments, Janor expressed concern about the impact higher taxes will have on residents on a fixed income and families living "paycheck to paycheck."

"I did wrestle with this because ... I understand the costs," he said. "But in good conscience, I cannot support a tax increase of this magnitude at this time."

Commissioner Marie Todd defended the levy increase, saying residents are accustomed to receiving a certain level of service, and the extra money is necessary to maintain existing programs.

"I do believe we need to support this budget," she said. "Otherwise, it gets more and more difficult to provide the services to the community that they expect and at the level of service that they want."