Lockport Twp HSD 205 board approves 3.41% levy increase for 2025

The Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education on Nov. 18 approved a tax levy for 2025 that Superintendent Dr. Bob McBride described as 3.41% higher than last year.

Dr. McBride said last year’s levy was about $60,000,000 and this year’s levy is about $63,000,000 and stressed that an increase in the district levy does not directly equal the same percentage rise in an individual homeowner’s tax bill because assessments and the district’s tax rate both determine final amounts. "The increase in the levy doesn't mean that on the individual level in your home, your taxes will go up by that much," McBride said.

McBride told listeners the board has focused on holding the line on property taxes and that this year’s district budget is smaller than last year’s. He also said the district’s tax rate is the second-lowest among 17 Chicagoland high school districts and the fifth-lowest in Illinois, statements he presented as comparative context rather than as independently verified figures.

The superintendent said the board plans a debt-service abatement when the levy is finalized in December and estimated that could reduce individual property tax bills by roughly $40 to $60 per taxpayer. He described that figure as an estimate tied to the final levy and abatement decisions.

The board’s decision followed the district’s yearlong outreach on finances — McBride recounted about 1,000 visits to Central, 39 public referendum events, three October forums and a survey that drew roughly 700 responses — and the board’s directive to use the district’s available tools to contain tax increases.

What happens next: McBride said the district will finalize the levy and consider a debt-service abatement in December; no additional vote outcomes or roll-call vote totals were provided in the meeting brief.