La Salle County tax levy may increase by less than 1%, possibly decreasing some tax bills

When you open your tax bills in May 2025, the line item for La Salle County is likely to fall up to 7 cents. Whether that means a smaller tax bill remains to be seen.

Monday, the La Salle County Board placed on file for review a budget ordinance for 2024-2025 and La Salle County’s annual tax levy. The county will levy about $33.2 million this year. While subject to change, that would be a projected increase of less than 1%.

It should translate into a rate decrease on next year’s tax bills. Nothing is final yet, but board member Brian Dose, D-Ottawa, chairman of the finance committee, said the tax rate could slide about 7 cents.

Ordinarily, that means some relief for La Salle County taxpayers; but Dose pointed out assessments have risen by a comparable percent and could negate most of the savings.

And that assumes the budget is finalized without amendment – and the version presented Monday didn’t look the same to Dose.

“I found some changes,” Dose said, ticking off a list of line-items in the budget that had been modified since the budget passed out of committee. “Some of this was changed after we voted.”

Asked later how or why the changes appeared, Dose could only say, “It wasn’t I.”

A corrected budget was adopted by unanimous acclamation but the board might not be finished making adjustments. Dose said a special meeting of the Finance Committee would be held Tuesday (Election Day) for additional review. He intends to inquire about the last-minute changes he spotted.