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Finance director outlines 2025 levy timeline, CPI cap and proposed levy amount
Summary
District finance staff reviewed the property-tax levy process and preliminary numbers including a 2.9% CPI cap on the aggregate levy, a $60 million placeholder for new property and a proposed total levy of roughly $91.97 million when bond and interest is included; timeline calls for a tentative levy in November and final adoption in December.
Lyons Township High School District 204 Finance Director Brian Stashek presented an informational overview of the 2025 property-tax levy process, preliminary levy calculations and the timeline for board action.
"This is our single largest revenue source in the district," Stashek told the board, framing property taxes as the principal funding source for district operations. He summarized legal and calendar constraints: the district must submit the levy to Cook County by the last Tuesday in December, and the county'wide tax-cap rules limit increases on existing property to the prior December'to'December Consumer Price Index (CPI) — 2.9% for the most recent period cited.
Key figures and assumptions discussed
- CPI cap: 2.9% (December-to-December), which limits increases on existing property.
- Projected EAV and new property: Stashek used a working estimate of total equalized assessed value (EAV) plus a $60 million placeholder for new property on the rolls; he acknowledged the new-property figure is a conservative planning assumption and that actual new-property additions will determine final receipts.
- Preliminary levy totals: Based on draft Cook County documents, Stashek presented an operating levy extension base increased by 2.9% to about $87.9 million, a projected total levy including the $60 million new-property placeholder of about $89.05 million, and a total levy including bond and interest of about $91.97 million (a roughly 4.1% increase over the prior year). Stashek cautioned these numbers are preliminary and that Cook County'provided only a draft report; final county numbers could change the calculations.
- Homeowner impact examples: Stashek walked through example calculations using sample market values and multipliers to illustrate district-only tax impacts and noted he will update homeowner-impact information when the county finalizes 2024 numbers.
Timing and next steps
Stashek outlined the board'level schedule: adopt a tentative levy in November and adopt a final levy in December following a Truth-in-Taxation hearing (a hearing is required when the levy increase is 5% or more; the district historically holds a public hearing regardless of the statutory trigger). He also warned of county processing delays that have postponed tax bills and reduced the district's ability to invest receipts, costing interest income on delayed funds.
Board members asked clarifying questions about the new-property placeholder, the county'provided draft, and whether potential government shutdowns or county software issues could affect the timeline; Stashek said the county issues are separate and that staff will return with updates.
Ending
Stashek said the presentation was informational and that staff will bring a tentative levy for board adoption in November and a final levy after the public hearing in December. No formal levy vote was taken at this meeting.
