Board sets 2.9% preliminary levy figure after extended debate over abatements

At the Nov. 13 meeting, Huntley Community School District 158’s finance director presented the preliminary 2025 property tax levy recommendation and a long discussion followed on levy strategy and possible abatements.

Finance staff said preliminary county EAV estimates would increase the district’s equalized assessed value and that, excluding new construction, the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) CPI figure for the levy year is 2.9 percent. The presenter noted an estimate that the combined levy impact—including bond and interest—would amount to roughly a $137 increase to a homeowner with a $300,000 house (district share only) if the 2.9% extension holds.

Board members questioned the timing and effect of a preliminary approval, sought visual scenarios (2.0%, 2.5%, 2.9%) and asked administration to present abatement options that would reduce the effective rate for taxpayers. The administration said ballooning the levy request by 1% is standard practice to avoid under‑capture of new‑construction revenues; it also warned that lowering the extension materially reduces annual revenue and could deepen projected multi‑year budget shortfalls. The board voted 4–2 to approve the 2.9% preliminary levy figure to guide the district’s public notice and to allow staff to prepare options for the Dec. 18 levy hearing.

The board asked finance staff to return to the Finance Committee/Committee of the Whole with models showing the tax‑bill impact of different levy levels and the pros and cons of an abatement to be considered at the December hearing.