More Kane County forest commissioners support tax levy increase

A Friday vote by Kane County Forest Preserve District commissioners indicated they will not follow the example of the county board in keeping the property tax levy frozen for another year.

The forest preserve district's executive committee voted unanimously to implement a budget that will raise the property tax levy to capture new property growth. Totaling nine votes, that's the largest group to support the pending levy increase yet.

The move is expected to bring about $64,000 in new money to the district. If commissioners lock in the tax levy increase next week, local taxpayers would likely still see their tax bills payable to the district decrease, just not as much as they would otherwise.

For an average home valued at $233,000, the forest preserve portion of the bill would be $38 if the levy is increased, as opposed to $37.62 under a frozen levy, and $39.75 now.

The decision would mark a departure from the philosophy shown by the county board of keeping the levy totally frozen. Forest commissioners also serve as county board members. As a county board, they are expected to lock in a fifth straight year of a totally frozen property tax levy for the county next week.

The difference in the decisions boils down to the county's multiple revenue streams. Both sales and income tax revenue has been on the rise for the county the past of couple years. There are also numerous fees collected by the county's court system, sheriff's office, and other departments. The county board has moved toward increasing many of those fees in an effort to keep the property tax levy flat.

In contrast, the forest preserve district does not receive sales or income taxes. It does have a few fees, but its main income, other than property taxes, are the lease agreements with local farmers using district land. There is also income generated by the district's golf courses and the agreement with the Kane County Cougars.

None of that cash approaches the amount of income the county collects.

As a result, the district needed financial bailouts from the county the past couple of years to keep its levy flat. Those bailouts came in the form of riverboat grant money.

But as that pool of gambling proceeds dwindles, forest preserve district commissioners have moved to end their reliance on the funds. With costs rising, new money must come from somewhere.

Commissioner John Hoscheit pointed out the district will also defer the annual program that restores purchased land to its native prairie state.

"It's a significant part of the budget, and that's one of the things we've given up to hold the levy flat," Hoscheit said. "In the long term, we need to think about continuing that program. We'll need to re-evaluate and rearrange our priorities."