Batavia USD 101 board adopts 2025 tax levy after truth-in-taxation hearing

The Batavia USD 101 Board of Education voted to adopt its 2025 property tax levy after holding a required truth-in-taxation public hearing. Treasurer Tony presented a certificate of tax levy showing a $92,000,000 total levy and recommended the board authorize administration to file the certificate with the county clerk.

Tony told the board the district’s equalized assessed value rose roughly 11% over the prior year, largely because of new construction and the expiration of TIF 1. That increase, combined with the district’s requested extension, created a 7.4% increase in the levy amount compared with last year—triggering the hearing requirement. Tony said the district expects to actually collect about $89.8 million and that retiring debt will reduce the district portion of the tax rate by about 9.8%.

Tony presented a breakdown of the levy as listed in the certificate: $70,000,000 for the education fund; $12,400,000 for operations and maintenance; $3,800,000 for transportation; the certificate listed "300" for municipal retirement as presented in the agenda materials; $800,000 for social security; and $4,700,000 for special education. He said the estimate for total receipts is slightly below the extension requested.

Board members asked for clarification about the mechanics: Tony repeated that the tax cap law limits increases to CPI or 5% (the district referenced the property-tax-limitation mechanism during the hearing) and noted that, because TIF increments are returning to the tax rolls this year, the district must disclose higher extension amounts even though per-household school tax bills are expected to fall in many cases. He estimated the median homeowner’s school tax bill would drop by roughly $300 this year as a result of the district retiring its debt service obligation.

Rob moved to adopt the 2025 levy and authorize filing with the county clerk; Kristen seconded. Cindy called the roll and the motion carried.

What happens next: the administration will file the certificate of tax levy with the county clerk by the statutory deadline, as required. The board’s action followed the public hearing period, during which no members of the public spoke.