The county board approved a 2025 proposed levy increase of 9.81% on September 10. At that meeting the board also set the date for the truth-in-taxation (TNT) meeting as Tuesday December 3, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. Note that the levy cannot be increased from the proposed increase of 9.81% but can be decreased.

State law requires that all counties hold a Truth-in-Taxation meeting at which the county budget and levy will be discussed and at which the public is allowed to speak. This meeting must be held before the county can approve its final budget and levy. State law also requires the auditor to deliver a notice of proposed taxes to each taxpayer as listed on the county’s current assessment roll prior to the Truth-in-Taxation meeting. Those notices are being mailed the week of November 22. The TNT meeting’s purpose is to focus on the county’s 2025 budget and levy and not to discuss property valuation and classification changes. Property values are a key factor in determining taxes, but they need to be addressed earlier in the year. Values are set in January for the following year’s taxes. Taxpayers have a forum for discussing property valuation at meetings held in the spring of each year. Keep an eye out for notices of valuation for 2026 taxes payable sent out by the Assessor’s office in late March or early April of 2025.

The county’s proposed levy included a 3% cost of living increase for employee wages, a 10% increase for health insurance costs and $683,791 in 21 requests for additional resources. The three largest requests were for additional staff to meet increasing demands for services. Other requests included a Bureau of Criminal Affairs software increase, Sawtooth Bluffs plan for regional designation, installation costs of a new payroll system, update to the county comprehensive plan, highway equipment maintenance funding, and security system replacement fund.

There was some good news regarding the county’s federal payment in lieu of taxes for BWCA lands. The long-awaited decision on the USDA Forest Service re-appraisal of Boundary Waters lands was received earlier this year. The forest service determined that the county would not have to pay back $2.1 million in federal funds we were holding in reserve pending the final decision on the re-appraisal and a pay-back requirement. The final re-appraisal was a cut of 14.63% from the previous every-ten-year appraisal, but much improved from the 34% cut seen in the original ten-year appraisal done in 2019. Bottom line is we were able to add $315,000 BWCA federal payments to our budgeted revenue for 2025.

We also continue to benefit from continuing high interest rates on our money market and investment funds. We were conservative budgeting interest revenue given the federal reserve plan for reducing rates and pressure from the incoming administration to reduce rates at an even faster rate. But the earnings we’ve received in the last two plus years have improved our fund balance and give the board some flexibility in funding the capital improvement plan, the organizational strategic plan, and using fund balance to keep the levy in line with long-term goals.

The notice of proposed 2025 taxes that taxpayers are receiving is based on the proposed budget approved September 10. Some adjustments have been made to the county budget numbers since then bringing our current estimated levy increase to 8.4%. The largest change was an increase in fee revenues of $148,000. There has also been a net decrease of $23,000 in expenses.

Taxpayers should also know that the ISD 166 school referendum result Is not reflected in the notice of proposed taxes. Question 1 of the referendum was approved by voters at the November 5 general election, but that information came too late to be included on the notice. The estimated tax effect of question 1 can be found on the ISD 166 web site.

County Connections is a column on timely topics and service information from your Cook County government. Cook County – Supporting Community Through Quality Public Service.