The Niles Township High School District 219 Board of Education preliminarily approved raising its property tax levy by 3.4% for the 2025-2026 school year at its Board of Education meeting on Nov. 12.
According to the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Business Jim Vreeland, the 3.4% increase is to keep up with the rate of inflation during the previous year. Because the levy increase is under 5%, the district won’t need to hold a public hearing on it, as state law would require if it were higher than 5%.
Throughout the state, most school districts heavily rely on property taxes as their principal source of revenue. Vreeland said for District 219, property taxes make up 88% of its revenue.
In previous years, when inflation was higher, the district raised its levy to the state’s allowable maximum of 5%, while also allowing the district to receive property taxes for new development or new growth, according to Vreeland.
“It is an element with the levy, that if you miss it, it’s really hard to recapture those funds,” if new growth is not taken into consideration, Vreeland said. “It compounds; that’s money that’s lost forever.”
Board member Amber Wood asked Vreeland for clarification on how the increase would affect homeowners throughout the township. “This is not a 5% tax we’re asking for to be levied on their property tax. This is not a new tax that is happening?”
“This is not new,” Vreeland said. “This is just over last year’s (inflation) amount. We’re asking for an additional amount based upon what we’re entitled to under law to continue to fund the district and meet our needs, our salary needs and our educational needs.”
The district is taking on a few major capital projects in the next couple of years. The projects include a $41.6 million building addition to Niles West High School and the creation of a new $28.2 million school for Niles Central High School.
The school district also approved a new teacher and support staff contract at the beginning of the school year. The contracts include raises and increased tuition reimbursement.
The Board of Education will vote on formally approving the tax levy at its Dec. 10 meeting.
