• Editor’s Note: This article shares information from the Frequently Asked Questions about the 2016 (payable 2017) Kane County Property Tax Bills document published online through the coordinated efforts of Kane County Supervisor of Assessments Mark Armstrong, Kane County Clerk John A. Cunningham and Kane County Treasurer David Rickert.

So, did your school district’s tax levy go up or down this year?

For 14 of 15 public school districts in Kane County, the answer is “up.” Elgin School District U46’s levy actually decreased by .23 percent.

In general, the year-over-year levy increases were 3 percent or less, with the exception of Huntley School District 158, which was up 4.25 percent, Central School District 301, which saw a 5.53 percent increase, and Yorkville School District 115, which was up 7.25 percent.

In judging how well your district is doing in toeing the line on taxes, it’s important to take into consideration a lot of factors, such as what percentage change took place in previous years. Two years ago, for example, East Aurora School District 131 had the highest year-over-year increase at 7.56 percent. Last year, the levy had the biggest drop, down 6.3 percent. This year (2016 levy payable in 2017), East Aurora’s levy was the third lowest, up just .65 percent.

It’s also fair to consider the size of the levy overall. U46 — the second-largest school district is the state — levies more than $303 million. East Aurora School District 131, by contrast, levies a little more than $38 million.

Why do we care about the school district’s extended levy? Because that’s the majority of your property-tax bill — about 68.7 percent on average — goes to public schools.

We also take notice, of course, because of the time of year. The second installment of your property-tax bill is due Friday, Sept. 1.

Obviously, some of the school districts listed below don’t have a big footprint in Kane County, but they are listed because some portion of the district is within Kane’s borders.

Percent Change in Extended Levy (Alphabetical Order)

Rankings: Percent Change in Extended Levy (Lowest to Highest)

1. Elgin School District U46 — (-0.23 percent)
2. Geneva School District 304 — (0.10 percent)
3. East Aurora School District 131 — (0.65 percent)
4. St. Charles School District 303 — (0.84 percent)
5. Batavia School District 101 — (0.95 percent)
6. Oswego School District 308 — 1.28 percnet)
7. Hinckley School District 429 — (1.36 percent)
8. Barrington School District 120 — (1.53 percent)
9. West Aurora School District 129 — (1.65 percent)
10. Kaneland School District 302 — (2.15 percent)
11. Dundee-Crown School District 300 — (2.41 percent)
12. Sycamore School District 427 — (2.71 percent)
13. Huntley School District 158 — (4.25 percent)
14. Central School District 301 — (5.53 percent)
15. Yorkville School District 115 — (7.25 percent)

More Information

For information about how these tax levies were determined, please contact the school district that developed the levy ordinance (see phone number listed below):

Read The TAX FAQs Series

• MONDAY: Don’t Forget That 2nd Property Tax Installment — It’s Due Friday, Sept. 1!
• TODAY: Did My School District Tax Levy Go Up Or Down This Year?
• COMING WEDNESDAY: Did My City/Village Tax Levy Go Up Or Down This Year?

Don’t Forget That 2nd Property Tax Installment — It’s Due Friday, Sept. 1!