Glen Ellyn District 41 seeks property tax boost

Glen Ellyn Elementary District 41 officials are seeking a 4.57 percent, or close to $2 million, property tax levy increase, but expect the actual increase to be closer to the consumer price index of 1.7 percent.

The board this week voted to move forward with the proposed levy.

By state tax cap law, tax levy requests are limited each year to the sum of the consumer price index and the percentage of new construction growth within the district. School districts routinely request increases larger than the consumer price index to make sure they capture any potential property growth.

This particular increase is based on a consumer price index growth of 1.7 percent and estimated new construction of $10 million within the district.

At the desired 4.57 percent increase of $1,975,349, the 2013 projected levy will bring $45,157,562 into the district to support education, operation and maintenance, and transportation funds, as well as outstanding bond issues, according to district records.

Officials project the district will actually see an increase of 2.5 percent more than last year’s levy, or $1,051,245. That amount will not be known until spring of 2014.

Board Vice President John Kenwood was the lone vote against the levy. At a previous board meeting, Kenwood said he was concerned about the gap between what the district was proposing and what it will be allowed to receive and wondered if there was a way to decrease that difference.