Batavia proposes tax levy about the same as last year

Batavia is poised to ask for a bit less in property taxes in its 2012 levy than it received from its 2011 extension.

City finance director Peggy Colby presented a plan Monday that calls for $6.65 million, $44,557 less than the 2011 extension that was billed to taxpayers earlier this year.

It includes $3.89 million for general purposes, $2.24 million for pensions, and $444,342 to repay debt.

Kane County estimates that the value of taxable property in the city will drop by 2.8 percent, even though new properties have been added, Colby said. The final EAV won’t be known until the spring, but the city has to file the tax levy with the county clerk in December.

About 70 percent of the property taxes collected come from residential properties, Colby said.

The council will vote on the levy Dec. 18.

Budget

The council Monday adopted the city’s budget for 2013. The fiscal year starts Jan. 1.

It plans to spend $93.38 million, up 8.9 percent from what the city projects it will end up spending in 2012.

It assumes revenues of $88.89 million, 3.3 percent more than projected for 2012.

Most of the increases in spending, and in revenue, come in the utility funds. Those are primarily supported by utility sales (water, electricity, sewage treatment), not property taxes. Water and sewer rates will increase in 2013.