District 303 Property Taxes Set to Rise 3 Percent

Existing St. Charles-area property owners can expect to see a 3 percent increase on the school district portion of their property tax bills, under an estimated levy the St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 Board of Education approved Monday night.

Districtn 303 Chief Financial Officer Brad Cauffman said in an October meeting that the levy is expected to generate nearly $136.15 million for the district in the coming year. That figure excludes the district’s debt service levy, a separate levy used to repay the district’s debt.

The overall levy, Cauffman also explained, actually is 3.74 percent, and is slightly higher than the district expects to need. The larger levy reflects district’s action to ensure it captures tax dollars from new property growth.

Cauffman told the board in October that average existing taxpayers actually will see the school district’s portion of property taxes increase by a flat 3 percent.

The increase is below the statutory limit that would trigger a truth-in-taxation public hearing

The board’s action is two steps shy of final approval of the property tax levy for the coming year. The tax levy resolution the board approved Monday night actually is an estimate that won’t be finalized until Dec. 10. In the meantime, board members are expected to review the levy in greater detail during a committee meeting later this month before considering final action on Dec. 10. The tax levy must be filed with the Kane County Clerk’s Office by Dec. 18.

Also in December, the board is expected to review its options for refinancing some of its debt.

Separately, the board took steps Monday night to ensure the district collect activities fees from students who choose not to pay the fees.

During a meeting last month, Cauffman estimated the district has $131,000 outstanding in unpaid fees for this year. In the past, the district has worked with parents to get the fees paid unless there was determined to be a financial hardship. But many of the fees that go unpaid now do not reflect a financial hardship on some of these families, which simply choose not to pay the fee.

In past, Cauffman said during the meeting last month that ultimately, getting the fees paid comes down to barring the student from participating in the graduation ceremony, although the student still is awarded the diploma.

The measure the board approved Monday will ensure that if someone owes the district money, the amount owed would be deducted from any lottery winnings or state tax refunds they might otherwise receive.