Elmhurst District 205 reviews estimated 2025 tax levy, schedules public hearing for Dec. 16
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Summary
District 205 officials presented an estimated 2025 tax levy that would raise the levy from last year's $141.29 million to as much as $147.7 million, citing a 2.9% CPI and preliminary new-property growth of about $30 million; the board set a levy hearing for Dec. 16, 2025.
The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board of Education heard a detailed presentation on the district's estimated 2025 tax levy on Nov. 18, with district finance staff saying the levy could rise by about $5.3 million compared with last year.
Mr. Blomquist, who led the presentation, said the district is starting from a prior extension of $141,291,879 and is using the consumer price index (CPI) of 2.9% (Dec. 2023–Dec. 2024) under PTELL rules. He said preliminary estimates of new property growth in the district are about $30,000,000 and that, combined with the CPI, produce a capped tax rate of roughly 3.7343 and a proposed levy up to $147,700,000.
"We don't have all the exact numbers quite yet, but that is the purpose of this discussion," Blomquist said, describing the calculation steps and why the district requests slightly more than the preliminary new-property estimate to avoid under-capturing revenue if assessed values increase.
Blomquist gave homeowner examples to show how individual bills could change: a home valued at $500,000 that grows with the district average would see an estimated increase of about $165 for the year (about $82.50 per installment), he said; smaller or larger changes in assessed value would change the homeowner impact proportionally.
The presentation also laid out expenditure pressures that the levy partly addresses: projected health insurance increases, rising transportation and athletic trainer contract costs, food-price inflation, and utility costs that the district projects will push expenditures higher. Blomquist said the five-year forecast shows operating reserves near the district's low-point if revenue does not keep pace with inflationary expense growth.
Following the presentation, the board voted to approve the district's estimated levy, set a public hearing for Dec. 16, 2025, and direct publication of the hearing notice. The motion passed 6–0 with one member absent. Adoption of the final levy will occur at a December meeting after county calculations are completed.
What happens next: County assessors in Cook and DuPage will finalize equalized assessments and new-property calculations used to convert the district's levy request into tax bills; the board will consider adoption of the final levy at its December meeting.