The Flossmoor District 161 Board of Education is reviewing various budget scenarios that will impact taxpayers.
The tentative budget is scheduled for approval in November, but a key discussion point centers on property tax options for 2025, particularly Property Tax Relief Grants (PTRG). As the district navigates the end of required PTRG abatements, it has the option to return $2,069,858 in abatement to the tax rolls. The board is considering three scenarios.
If the district chose not to recapture the abatement and instead levied only the additional Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase of 2.9%, it would see an increase in revenue of about $700,000. If the district decides to recapture the complete 2024 abatement plus CPI, the increase in revenue would be approximately $2.8 million.
At the Oct. 27 board meeting, Associate Superintendent Fran LaBella also presented the option to capture a portion of the abatement, with an illustration showing how reclaiming $1,000,000 plus CPI would result in a revenue increase of about $1.8 million.
La Bella explained to the board that the PTRG has been available for four out of the last five years, but it was not offered by the State of Illinois this year.
“That’s what really has enabled you to keep this levy flat while continuing to grow your revenues to cover your expenses,” LaBella said.
Board members discussed concerns about increasing homeowners’ taxes amid economic uncertainty.
“My initial reaction is I’d like to kick the can down the road a little bit,” said board member Michael Rouse II. “I think there are a lot of factors pending right now in our environment that are going to have a significant impact on some of our property owners.”
LaBella agreed to prepare five-year projections for each of the three options so the board will have the information it needs to make a decision at the next board meeting.
In addition to budget discussions, the board has several construction projects planned for the upcoming year. These include refurbishing sections of Parker Junior High, such as the front entryway, main office, media center, nurse’s office, bathrooms and ceilings. The refresh also includes new lighting, paint, whiteboards, furniture, technology upgrades and HVAC updates. Other planned projects involve HVAC/Humidity work at Flossmoor Hills and Western Avenue, and an RTU at Normandy Villa.
The expected cost of the work scheduled for 2026 is $8.3 million, not including some of the items that will be installed as part of the Parker refresh and any additional work to address humidity issues at Flossmoor Hills and Western Avenue.
The district approved a $19,405 pressure test at Flossmoor Hills School at the Oct. 27 meeting. This test was recommended by Farnsworth Group and will be conducted by ECS Midwest, LLC on Nov. 10 when the school is closed in observance of Veterans’ Day. One piece of the plan to remedy humidity issues is to establish positive pressure in the school. The test will help determine whether the new rooftop units, scheduled for replacement this summer, can be appropriately sized to pressurize the building.
The budget and solutions for the humidity issues are expected to be discussed in more detail during the Nov. 17 board meeting.
