Lyons Twp HSD 204 approves 2025 tax levy and temporary working-cash transfers as Cook County delays distributions

Lyons Township High School District 204’s Board of Education on Monday approved the district’s proposed 2025 tax levy and separate bond-and-interest levy and authorized temporary working-cash ledger transfers to cover short-term timing gaps caused by Cook County’s delayed property tax distributions.

Director Brian Stasiak provided the levy totals and a cash-flow briefing. He said the operating funds aggregate for the proposed 2025 levy is $89,045,667, and when combined with a bond-and-interest amount of $3,021,299 the proposed levy totals $92,066,966 — a 4.21% increase over the prior year. Stasiak noted the levy calculation includes an assumed $60,000,000 in new property value that he said is unlikely to materialize.

Stasiak told the board the district has not received any Cook County distributions tied to the November mailing of tax bills and that county software and distribution issues have delayed payments to taxing bodies. He estimated Cook County currently owes roughly $45,000,000 in second-collection receipts from the district’s 2024 levy. To avoid short-term negative ledger balances the administration asked the board to approve two precautionary resolutions authorizing temporary ledger transfers from the working cash fund: up to $4,000,000 to the Education Fund and up to $1,000,000 to the Bond & Interest Fund. Stasiak said these are accounting ledger moves, not evidence the district lacks cash on hand, and auditors have been briefed.

Board members asked about the district’s lost interest income and the potential cost of short-term borrowing if distributions are further delayed. One member asked whether Cook County could issue a “safe-harbor” interim payment; Stasiak said he did not have an answer from the county but said some districts have already been forced to issue tax-anticipation warrants. The administration said they would continue monitoring distributions and report back at the January meeting; the resolutions are permissive — the board need not use the transfers if county distributions arrive first.

The board voted by roll call to adopt the 2025 levy and separately approved the bond-and-interest supplemental levy. It then voted to authorize the working-cash ledger transfers as presented.