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District 57 presents 2025 tentative tax levy, requests 4.96% increase amid uncertain new-growth estimates
Summary
District 57 staff presented a tentative 2025 tax levy request of 4.96% and explained the distinction between the levy (what the district requests) and the extension (what the county ultimately allows). Officials said CPI is 2.9% and new property growth remains uncertain.
District 57 presented its tentative 2025 tax levy at the Nov. 18 board meeting, with staff explaining the difference between the levy and the extension and asking the board to set a public hearing and file the levy with the county.
“Tax levy is the amount we're requesting. The extension is the amount we receive,” said the presenter identified in the meeting as Dr. Kays, summarizing the district’s approach to estimating revenue needs. He said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the levy calculation is 2.9% and noted new property growth is the chief unknown. Drawing on historical figures, staff said new growth has fluctuated wildly — in past years new property value additions ranged from about $500,000 to roughly $5,000,000 — so the district tests multiple scenarios when setting the tentative request.
On the levy level, staff said the district is requesting a 4.96% levy increase this year to account for projected needs and possible new-growth scenarios; they emphasized the levy is a request, not a guarantee. Staff outlined the next steps: publish a Truth in Taxation notice, hold the statutory hearing at the December board meeting (staff indicated the hearing will be scheduled for Dec. 16), and file by the statutory deadline in late December.
Board members pressed staff on the forecasting methods and the tradeoffs of asking for larger versus smaller levies. One member noted it can look problematic to ask for a high percentage when the district often receives a lower extension; staff said they run conservative and stress-tested models (including scenarios with substantially higher growth) to avoid leaving revenue on the table.
The board did not take final action on the levy request at the meeting; staff asked the board to approve the tentative levy and set the public hearing date, with formal adoption to follow after the public hearing and required notices.
What’s next: the district will publish the Truth in Taxation notice and hold the public hearing at the December meeting before formally adopting the levy and filing with Cook County.
