DuPage County might consider boosting property tax levy

Amid reductions in state funding and fears of becoming overly reliant on sales tax revenue, some DuPage County Board members are considering whether to boost the county's property tax levy.

The county board is expected this month to approve a budget for fiscal 2018 that calls for the levy to remain at $66.9 million. The levy amount has stayed roughly the same since 2010.

It's unlikely the levy will be changed as part of DuPage's proposed $439.6 million budget that takes effect Dec. 1. But some say the county should consider increasing future levies to account for new construction.

"Maybe next year we can start moving forward on this," board member Jim Healy said. "Maybe we can finally get across that, by capturing (revenue from) new construction, we are not raising property taxes one penny on the average homeowner."

County government accounts for less than 3 percent of the property tax bill in DuPage. School districts constitute about 73 percent of the tax bill and municipalities account for roughly 10 percent.

Because DuPage kept its property tax levy flat, the amount of taxes individual property owners paid to the county decreased as new construction was added to the tax rolls. But Healy said the savings for property owners was just "a few pennies" each year.

DuPage, meanwhile, is getting less revenue because Illinois lawmakers crafted a state budget that keeps millions of dollars that traditionally went to counties.

If the county accounted for new construction in its next levy, it could collect roughly $500,000 more in property taxes.

"We would keep our promise to keep the county portion of the average homeowner's property taxes flat while, at the same time, collecting the additional dollars that we need," Healy said.

DuPage has been able to keep the property tax levy steady, in part, because its sales tax revenue is projected to increase. But Healy says the county shouldn't be too reliant on the sales tax.

Board member Pete DiCianni said school districts and municipalities "at a minimum" levy for new growth. Meanwhile, he said, DuPage doesn't do that even though it's always working to attract new businesses.

"I'm all for a motion to amend the levy and capture that new growth," said DiCianni, adding the tax dollars the county already has "left on the table" could have paid for road repairs, stormwater projects and salaries for sheriff's deputies.

But board member Jim Zay said he's proud the county's property levy has remained flat because it has given residents "some relief" when other local government entities are raising taxes.

"We do more with less," said Zay, who serves as vice chairman of the board.

Still, a debate about the property tax levy could begin next year.

"We need to start thinking about the cumulative effect of this new growth," board member Brian Krajewski said. "We need to start that discussion."