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DeKalb CUSD 428 trustees flag early 8.44 multiplier, ask staff to re-examine next year’s budget
Summary
A board member told trustees the Illinois Department of Revenue set DeKalb Township’s 2026 multiplier at 8.44 and urged administration and the board to distinguish needs from wants before approving the levy, warning that taxpayers could see an 8%‑plus increase on district levies if rates hold.
A board member told the DeKalb CUSD 428 Board of Education that the Illinois Department of Revenue released township multipliers two months earlier than usual and that DeKalb Township’s 2026 multiplier is 8.44, down from 9.51 last year. "This year it's 8.44," the member said, noting the earlier release gives the district more time to review levy effects.
The trustee illustrated the local impact: a $200,000 home would be assessed at about $217,000 under the multiplier and, if levies and rates remain constant, “if you have a $4,000 tax bill to the district, you will see an increase of $340,” the trustee said. The speaker cautioned that last year many taxing bodies experienced double‑digit increases and urged the board and administration to scrutinize budget priorities before setting the levy.
The board asked administration to review the budget in greater detail and to identify areas that reflect core needs versus discretionary spending so trustees can consider options that would limit taxpayer increases. Trustees discussed using the additional time afforded by the early multiplier release to prepare clearer cost estimates for possible levy scenarios.
The board did not take formal action on the levy at the meeting; trustees asked staff to return with analyses and cost estimates ahead of formal levy approval later in the year.
