Indian Prairie CUSD 204 presents $360.5 million tentative levy, projects $3 million in new revenue
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Summary
Finance director Matt Shipley told the board the district’s tentative 2025 operating levy request is $360,500,000 — a roughly $14.4 million (4.1%) increase aligned with the district’s FY2026 budget; Shipley said assessed-value growth (~$70 million) will lower the district tax rate for many taxpayers, though individual bills may rise due to reassessments.
Matt Shipley, the district’s finance director, presented the required tentative levy overview and said the board is recommending “a tentative operating levy of $360,500,000,” an increase of about $14,400,000 from last year (roughly 4.1%). He said the operating-levy increase is constrained by the 2024 consumer price index (2.9%) plus an allowance for new property and that counties will adjust the levy in the spring to reflect actual new-property totals.
Shipley described how the property-tax process intersects with township assessors, county supervisors and the Illinois Department of Revenue and emphasized that the district does not assess properties or collect taxes directly. He said the district expects about $70,000,000 of additional equalized assessed value (EAV) across DuPage and Will counties, which he estimated would represent a little over $3,000,000 in new revenue to the district.
To illustrate taxpayer impact, Shipley showed that the average home value in the district is just over $500,000 and estimated an average annual increase of about $187 (about 2.9%) on a homeowner’s school tax bill. He cautioned that individual taxpayers may see larger or smaller percent changes depending on property-specific reassessments and shifts in assessed values across property classes.
Board members pressed for clarification about why some taxpayers’ bills can rise by more than the district’s levied CPI figure. Shipley reiterated that the district’s average levy increase for taxpayers is the CPI amount, but localized reassessments or a shift of tax burden between commercial and residential parcels can cause individual bills to move more than the district average.
Shipley said the tentative levy request is consistent with the FY2026 budget adopted in September and reiterated next steps: a public hearing and formal levy adoption at the December board meeting, filing with DuPage and Will counties by year-end, and county extension in the spring.
The presentation concluded with Shipley’s reminder that some figures remain preliminary because township and county assessment work is ongoing.
The board did not take final action on the levy at the Nov. 17 meeting; Shipley said the board will hold a public hearing and expects to adopt the levy at the December meeting.