Joliet finance director says tax levy hike would cost homeowners $4 to $12

Finance Director Kevin Sing on Monday outlined the expected impact on homeowners from the proposed 6.5% increase in the city property tax levy.

Sing’s presentation to the Joliet City Council came ahead of a public hearing on the levy, which will be held during the council meeting that starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.

The owner of a $100,000 house can expect to pay an additional $4 in annual property taxes because of the city levy, Sing said.

The city tax would go up $8 on a $200,000 house and $12 on a $300,000 house, he said.

All but 1% of the levy increase would be paid by new taxes coming from newly developed property, he said.

“Really, it (the levy increase) is designed to capture that new growth that we’re seeing around the city,” Sing told the council.

The levy represents the total amount of property tax dollars the city plans to collect in 2025.

The increase would generate an additional $3 million, according to city officials.

Council members raised no objections to the proposed levy increase.

“The proportion of our budget funded by the property tax levy is lower than the average municipality,” council member Larry Hug said, noting the city gets about 20% of its revenue from property taxes. “We’re staying there,”

Sing said the city accounts for about 13% of a Joliet resident’s total property tax bill.

“We’re a small portion of the bill,” he said.

The 6.5% increase includes the library share of the property tax levy, Sing said.

Joliet Public Library officials are seeking a hike in their share of the levy to pay for improvements at the Black Road Branch and to begin building a capital fund for future projects.

The council on Tuesday also will hold a public hearing on the city budget.

The budget includes an additional $1.6 million in revenue that would be generated by proposed increases in city fuel taxes yet to be approved. The council will vote on the gas tax hike on Dec. 17.

City staff has proposed two hikes on the 4-cent city tax on fuel. The tax on gas for passenger vehicles would go up a penny to 5 cents. The tax on diesel fuel would go up 7 cents to 11.

Only one person came to the meeting on Monday to comment on the proposed tax hikes.

“Here’s the downside,” Kathy Garthus said as she commented on 11-cent diesel fuel tax apparently aimed at semitrailers going through Joliet. “What about people like me who have a diesel pickup truck? ... I don’t think people that have diesel pickup trucks should pay the same price as semi trucks.”