St. Charles raises city property taxes for next year

St. Charles residents will see an increase in their city property taxes.

At Monday's St. Charles City Council meeting, aldermen voted 7-3 to approve a levy of $24,576,475. Voting "no" were 1st Ward Alderman Ron Silkaitis, 4th Ward Alderman David Pietryla and 4th Ward Alderman Bryan Wirball. No residents spoke during the public hearing.

The levy amount represents about a 2.81% increase from the prior year, City Administrator Heather McGuire told aldermen. The 2021 levy as presented after debt abatement would result in a 4.99% increase to the city portion of the tax bill for the average resident, assuming no change to the equalized assessed value of the property.

As a result, the owner of a home with a market value of $300,000 would pay an additional $41 a year.

Wirball previously said he was against increasing the levy because the city is in the process of hiring an economic development director.

"I would like to see what our director can do as far as bringing new businesses to our community, to bring in that additional sales tax revenue," he had said.

Wirball also noted the city has received $2.2 million in American Rescue Plan COVID-19 relief funds and is set to receive another $2.2 million.

"For me, I would like to hold off on raising the property tax levy, so I will not support the increase," he said.

St. Charles Mayor Lora Vitek defended the levy increase.

"On average, residents in a $300,000 house will contribute an additional $40 (a year) for a total of $820 annually to help pay for a full year of city services, many of them round-the-clock," she had said. "Due to rising inflation rates, the cost of doing business has increased. Inflation rates have jumped nearly 28% in that time."

Vitek also pointed out the city's portion of taxes is about 10% of the entire property tax bill.

"Ninety percent of that bill goes to other taxing bodies that we have no control over," she said.