Dupage Policy Journal

The preliminary tax levy of 2023 was recently presented to The Pleasantdale Board of Education.

During the Nov. 16 board of education meeting, Griffin Sonntag, the business manager of the district, presented the tentative tax levy of 2023 to the school board. He started with a quick look at current fund balances and the approved budget for the district’s upcoming fiscal year to show how last year’s extension was used and compare it to the projections they have in those areas for the next year. 

"That levy was turned in to the county's clerk's office after they do what they do, and they then distributed what's called an extension," Sonntag said. "So the levy is what we're asking for and we always ask for more than what we're going to get so ... depending on what that new construction number is, we're able to capture all the funds that are available for educating our students." 

The district is able to ask for last year’s tax levy amount multiplied by the Consumer Price Index (CPI or inflation rate). The district is, however, tax capped, meaning that if the CPI is higher than 5%, the district is still limited to that 5% increase. This does not include new construction in the district which the district is eligible to collect taxes on on top of that request.

The district is proposing a levy rate of 5.67% to capture the estimates for the new construction in the district. The board will hold a public hearing on the tax levy as required by law in December before it submits its finalized plan to the county assessor. This rate does not mean that the district will get this amount, it is the maximum amount they can get but in reality they ask high and receive lower so that it doesn't miss out on any part of its extension.