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Surviving Property Tax Caps in Illinois Public Libraries


Margaret Collins

HISTORY AND DEFINITION

Illinois' Property Tax Extension Limitation Law was passed in 1991 to provide tax relief from the rising property taxes in non-home-rule taxing districts in the "collar counties": DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will. Cook County became subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in 1994 (PTELL). As of the April 13, 1999 general election, 34 of Illinois' 102 counties are subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, commonly known as "tax caps." Some 265 Illinois public libraries receive taxes from these tax cap counties.

COUNTIES UNDER THE PROPERTY TAX EXTENSION LIMITATION LAW

Boone
Champaign
Christian
Cook
DeKalb
DuPage
Franklin
Jackson
Jefferson
JoDaviess
Kane Kankakee

Kendall
Lake
Lee
Livingston
Logan
Macoupin
Marion
McDonough
McHenry
Menard
Monroe
Morgan

Randolph
Sangamon
Schuyler
Stephenson
Tazewell
Union
Washington
Will
Williamson
Winnebago

The Property Tax Extension Limitation Law limits increases in property tax extensions (total taxes billed) for non-home-rule taxing districts. Under this limitation, increases in property tax extensions are limited to the lesser of (1) 5 percent or (2) the increase in the consumer price index (CPI) for all urban consumers. The limitation is based on the previous year's extension and applies to the aggregate extension for those funds subject to PTELL. The limit does not apply to new construction, annexation, voter-approved increases in the PTELL or to increases in assessed value in a former tax increment financing district (TIF) in the first year after its abolition. Tax caps do not apply to property taxes imposed to pay:
• General obligation bonds issued prior to the cutoff date,
• General obligation bonds issued on or after the cutoff date, if approved by referendum,
• Bonds issued to refund or to continue to refund voter-approved general obligations,
• Alternate Bonds, sometimes called "double-barreled bonds," issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act,
• Limited bonds, to the extent the payments do not exceed the debt service extension base minus certain offsetting amounts,
• Building commission leases used to retire bonds issued by the commission before the cutoff date.


* Margaret Collins, Recruitment and Public Library Programs Consultant, Illinois State Library, Springfield.

164


WHEN IS THE PTELL EFFECTIVE?

The PTELL is effective when the county referendum is approved by the voters. The PTELL applies to non-home-rule taxing units located entirely within the county, including all types of libraries. A library that overlaps more than one county is treated differently. Two conditions must be met before the district is subject to PTELL. 1) The counties in which the library receives taxes must have held referenda. 2) A majority of the library taxing area's equalized assessed value must be located in counties where voters have approved the referenda. If both conditions are met, the entire district is subject to the PTELL. After the final referendum the Illinois Department of Revenue will notify the library if the district is subject to the PTELL. The State Library and Illinois' library systems have been tracking the impact of tax caps on public libraries' tax rates in the collar counties (See chart at the end of the article).

Seeing the decline in public library tax rates and the spread of Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in Illinois counties, the Illinois library community worked with Illinois lawmakers in 1997 to enact Public Act 90-169. This law was passed to enable public libraries to continue to qualify for the public library per capita and equalization aid grants if tax caps reduced the library's tax rate below the .13 percent required by law. This law protects public libraries from losing their state grants, but it does not limit the impact of tax caps on local funding.

LIBRARIES UNDER TAX CAPS

  Boone County
Belvidere Ida Public Library
Loves Park* North Suburban District Library
Champaign County
Homer Homer community Library
Mahomet Mahomet Public Library District
Ogden Ogden Rose Public Library
Philo Philo Public Library District
Sidney Sidney Community Library
St. Joseph St. Joseph Township-Swearingen Memorial Library
Tolono Tolono Public Library District

Christian County
Assumption Assumption Public Library district
Morrisonville Kitchell Memorial Library
Pana Carnegie-Schuyler Library
Stonington Stonington Township Public Library
Taylorville Taylorville Public Library
Cook County
Alsip Alsip-Merrionette Park Library district
Barrington* Barrington Public Library District
Bartlett* Bartlett Public Library District
Bedford Park Bedford Park Public Library District
Bensenville* Bensenville Community Public Library district
Berkeley Berkeley Public Library
Blue Island Blue Island Public Library
Bridgeview Bridgeview Public Library
Broadview Broadview Public Library District
Brookfield Brookfield Free Public Library
Burbank Prairie Trails Public Library District
Crestwood Crestwood Public Library District
Dolton Dolton Public Library District
Elgin* Gail Borden Public Library District
Flossmoor Flossmoor Public Library
Ford Heights Ford Heights Public Library District
Forest Park Forest Park Public Library
Frankfort* Frankfort Public Library District
Franklin Park Franklin Park Public Library District
Glencoe Glencoe Public Library
Glenwood Glenwood-Lynwood Public Library District
Harvey Dixmoor Public Library District
Harvey Harvey Public Library District
Harwood Eisenhower Public Library
Heights District
Hazel Crest Grande Prairie Public Library District
Hinsdale* Hinsdale Public Library
Hodgkins Hodgkins Public Library District
Hometown Hometown Public Library
Homewood East Hazel Crest Library District
Homewood Homewood Public Library District
Justice Justice Public Library District
Kenilworth Kenilworth Public Library District
LaGrange LaGrange Public Library
LaGrange Park LaGrange Park Public Library District
Lemont* Lemont Public Library District
Lincolnwood Lincolnwood Public Library District

165


Lyons

Lyons Public Library

Markham

Anderson Oglesby Public Library

Matteson

Matteson Public Library

Maywood

Maywood Public Library District

McCook

McCook Public Library District

Melrose Park

Melrose Park Public Library

Midlothian

Midlothian Public Library

Niles

Niles Public Library District

North Riverside

North Riverside Public Library District

Northlake

Northlake Public Library District

Oak Brook*

Oak Brook Free Public Library

Oak Forest

Acorn Public Library District

Olympia Fields

Olympia Fields Public Library

Palatine

Palatine Public Library District

Palos Heights

Palos Heights Public Library

Palos Hills

Green Hills Public Library District

Palos Park

Palos Park Public Library

Phoenix

Phoenix Public Library District

Posen

Posen Public Library District

Prospect Heights

Prospect Heights Public Library District

Richton Park

Richton Park Public Library District

River Forest

River Forest Public Library

River Grove

River Grove Public Library District

Riverdale

Riverdale Public Library District

Riverside

Riverside Public Library

Robbins

William Leonard Public Library District

Sauk Village*

Nancy L. McConathy Public Library District

Schaumburg

Schaumburg Township District Library

Steger*

Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library District

Stickney

Stickney-Forest View Public Library District

Streamwood*

Poplar Creek Public Library District

Summit

Summit Public Library District

Tinley Park

Orland Hills Public Library District

Westchester

Westchester Public Library

Western Springs

Thomas Ford Memorial Library

Wheeling*

Indian Trails Public Library District

Wilmette

Wilmette Public Library District

Winnetka

Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District

Worth

Worth Public Library District

DeKalb County

Cortland

Cortland Community Library

Genoa

Genoa Public Library District

Hinckley

Squaw Grove Public Library District

Kirkland

Kirkland Public Library

Malta

Malta Township Public Library

Sandwich

Sandwich District Library

Shabbona

Flewellin Memorial Library

Waterman

Clinton Township Public Library

DuPage County

Bartlett*

Bartlett Public Library District

Batavia*

Batavia Public Library District

Bensenville*

Bensenville Community Public Library District

Bolingbrook*

Fountaindale Public Library District

Clarendon Hills

Clarendon Hills Public Library

Darien

Indian Prairie Public Library District

Glendale

Glenside Public Library District

Heights

Hinsdale*

Hinsdale Public Library

Itasca

Itasca Community Library

Lemont*

Lemont Public Library District

Lisle

Lisle Library District

Lombard

Helen M. Plum Memorial Library

Oak Brook*

Oak Brook Free Public Library

Roselle

Roselle Public Library District

St. Charles*

St. Charles Public Library District

Streamwood*

Poplar Creek Public Library District

Villa Park

Villa Park Public Library

Warrenville

Warrenville Public Library District

West Chicago

West Chicago Public Library District

Westmont

Westmont Public Library

Winfield

Winfield Public Library

Wood Dale

Wood Dale Public Library District

Franklin County

Benton

Benton Public Library District

Christopher

Christopher Public Library

Royalton

Royalton Public Library District

West Frankfort

West Frankfort Public Library

Zeigler

Zeigler Public Library

Jackson County

Elkville

Rick Warren Memorial Public Library District


166


Jefferson County

Mount Vernon

C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District

JoDaviess County

East Dubuque

East Dubuque District Library

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Township Library

Galena

Galena Public Library District

Hanover

Hanover Township Library

Lena*

Lena Community District Library

Stockton

Stockton Township Public Library

Warren

Warren Township Public Library

Pearl City*

Pearl City Public Library District

Kane County

Algonquin*

Algonquin Area Public Library District

Barrington*

Barrington Public Library District

Batavia*

Batavia Public Library District

East Dundee

Dundee Township Public Library District

Elbum

Town and Country Public Library District

Elgin*

Gail Borden Public Library District

Geneva

Geneva Public Library District

Hampshire

Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District

Huntley*

Huntley Area Public Library District

Kaneville

Kaneville Public Library District

Maple Park

Maple Park Public Library District

North Aurora

Messenger Public Library of North Aurora

Oswego*

Oswego Public Library District

St. Charles*

St. Charles Public Library District

Sugar Grove

Sugar Grove Public Library District

Kankakee County

Bourbonnais

Bourbonnais Public Library District

Bradley

Bradley Public Library District

Grant Park

Grant Park Public Library

Hopkins Park

Pembroke Township Public Library

Kankakee

Limestone Township Library

Manteno

Manteno Public Library District

Momence

Edward Chipman Public Library

Oswego*

Oswego Public Library District

Plano

Plano Community Library District

Yorkville

Yorkville Public Library

Lake County

Antioch

Antioch Public Library District

Barrington*

Barrington Public Library District

Fox Lake*

Fox Lake Public Library District

Grayslake

Grayslake Area Public Library District

Gurnee

Warren-Newport Public Library District

Highwood

Highwood Public Library

Lake Bluff

Lake Bluff Public Library

Lake Forest

Lake Forest Library

Lake Villa

Lake Villa Public Library District

Lake Zurich

Ela Area Public Library District

Libertyville

Cook Memorial Public Library District

Lincolnshire

Vemon Area Public Library District

Mundelein

Fremont Public Library District

Round Lake

Round Lake Area Public Library District

Wauconda*

Wauconda Area Public Library District

Wheeling*

Indian Trails Public Library District

Zion

Zion-Benton Public Library District

Lee County

Amboy

Pankhurst Memorial Library

Ashton

Mills-Petrie Memorial Library and Gymnasium

Dixon

Dixon Public Library

Franklin Grove

Franklin Grove Public Library

Paw Paw

Paw Paw Public Library District

Livingston County

Chatsworth

Chatsworth Township Library

Cornell

Amity Township Public Library

Fairbury

Dominy Memorial Library

Forrest

Forrest Public Library District

Odell

Odell Public Library District

Pontiac

Pontiac Public Library

Logon County

Atlanta

Atlanta Public Library District

Delavan*

Ayer Public Library District

Elkhart

Elkhart Public Library District

Lincoln

Lincoln Public Library District

Macoupin County

Brighton

Brighton Memorial Public Library

Bunker Hill

Bunker Hill Public Library


167


Carlinville

Carlinville Public Library

Gillespie

Gillespie Public Library

Girard

Girard Township Library

Mount Olive

Mount Olive Public Library

Staunton

Staunton Public Library

Marion County

Patoka

Patoka Public Library

Salem

Bryan-Bennett Library

McDonough County

Bushnell

Bushnell Public Library District

Colchester

Colchester District Library

Macomb

Macomb Public Library District

McHenry County

Algonquin*

Algonquin Area Public Library District

Barrington*

Barrington Public Library District

Cary

Cary Area Public Library District

Fox Lake*

Fox Lake Public Library District

Fox River Grove

Fox River Grove Public Library District

Harvard

Delos F. Diggins Library

Huntley*

Huntley Area Public Library District

Johnsburg

Johnsburg Public Library District

Marengo

Marengo Public Library District

McHenry

McHenry Nunda Public Library District

McHenry

McHenry Public Library District

Richmond

Nippersink Public Library District

Wauconda*

Wauconda Area Public Library District

Woodstock

City of Woodstock Public Library

Woodstock

Rural Woodstock Public Library District

Menard County
Athens Athens Municipal Library
Petersburg Petersburg Public Library

Monroe County

Valmeyer Valmeyer Public Library District
Waterloo Momson-Talbott Library

Morgan County
Jacksonville Jacksonville Public Library
Waverly Waverly Public Library
Randolph County
Chester Chester Public Library

Coulterville

Coulterville Public Library

Ellis Grove

Central Public Library District

Evansville

Evansville Public Library

Red Bud

Red Bud Public Library

Sparta

Sparta Public Library

Steeleville

Steeleville Area Library

Sangamon County

Auburn

Auburn Public Library

Chatham

Chatham Area Public Library District

Divernon

Divernon Township Library

Pawnee

Pawnee Public Library

Riverton

Riverton Village Library

Rochester

Rochester Public Library District

Sherman

Sherman Public Library District

Williamsville

Williamsville Public Library

Schuyler County

Rushville

Rushville Public Library

Stephenson County

Lena*

Lena Community District Library

Pearl City*

Pearl city Public Library District

Pecatonica*

Pecatonica Public Library District

Tazewell County

Creve Coeur

Creve Coeur Public Library District

Delavan*

Ayer Public Library District

East Peoria

Fondulac Public Library District

Mackinaw

Mackinaw District Public Library

Marquette

Marquette Heights Public Library

Heights

Minier

H.A. Peine Memorial Library

Morton

Morton Public Library District

South Pekin

South Pekin Public Library

Tremont

Tremont District Library

Washington

Washington District Library

Union County

Anna

Stinson Memorial Library District

Dongola

Dongola Public Library District

Jonesboro

Jonesboro Public Library

Washington County

Ashley

Ashley Public Library

Nashville

Nashville Public Library

Will County

Beecher

Beecher Public Library District

Bolingbrook*

Fountaindale Public Library District


168


Crete

Crete Public Library District

Frankfort*

Frankfort Public Library District

Lockport

Des Plaines Valley Public Library District

Lockport

Homer Township Public Library District

Manhattan

Manhattan Public Library District

Mokena

Mokena Community Public Library District

New Lenox

New Lenox Public Library District

Oswego*

Oswego Public Library District

Peotone

Peotone Public Library District

Plainfield

Plainfield Public Library District

Sauk Village*

Nancy L. McConathy Public Library District

Shorewood

Shorewood-Troy Public Library District

Steger*

Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library District

University Park

University Park Public Library District

Wilmington

Wilmington Public Library District

Williamson County

Carterville

Carterville Public Library

Herrin

Herrin City Library

Johnston City

Johnston City Public Library

Marion

Crab Orchard Public Library District

Winnebago County

Cherry Valley

Cherry Valley Public Library District

Loves Park*

North Suburban Public Library District

Pecatonica*

Pecatonica Public Library District

Rockford

Rockford Public Library

Rockton

Talcott Free Library District

South Beloit

South Beloit Public Library

Winnebago

Winnebago Public Library District


*Service area overlaps county boundaries

IMPACT OF TAX CAPS

The greatest impact of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law can be seen on libraries in areas with limited growth, or no growth, and where referenda for tax increases have failed. These libraries continue to receive increases in their actual dollar amounts received from taxes according to the CPI, or up to 5 percent, whichever is lower. However, these increases are not commensurate with the increases in costs for salaries, books, technology, accessing external information sources and new demands for services from library patrons. Jane Schulten, director of the Crete Public Library District, states, "Libraries continue to do the best they can with as little interruption to patron services as possible."

Barbara Osuch, director of the Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library District, reports that some of the subtleties of tax caps include: patrons shopping for libraries with new materials budgets, high turnover in directorships due to budget hardships, communities becoming more stagnant because of the lack of growth in schools, libraries, park districts, etc.

LIVING WITH TAX CAPS

District libraries are often the hardest hit because the district library board is the corporate authority. They are not cushioned from the downward spirals of library tax revenues and escalating costs of library services. Sarah Long, director of the North Suburban Library System, stresses that public libraries are almost completely dependent on property taxes for revenue. Service fees, which are used to supplement some other agency budgets, are antithetical to the open-for-all purpose of public libraries; would represent an insignificant portion of income needed to offset revenue shortfalls; and would discourage use of the library by those for whom these services often can be most beneficial. Having said this, district libraries have been blessed with some county clerks who have worked with them to transfer tax fund balances from special revenue funds into their corporate funds as long as their overall tax rates do not change beyond the CPI or 5 percent.

Municipal libraries are frequently cushioned from the impact of tax limits by their corporate authorities. Realizing the values of library services, municipal authorities can shift the impact or spread it throughout various departmental budgets. "Although municipal libraries in home-rule communities are not under tax cap formally, some report that their municipalities have put them under an informal tax cap," Long said.

Some of the libraries in collar counties have survived tax limits because of tremendous growth in their communities, annexation of additional property, or successful tax increase referenda. Robert Doyle, executive director of the Illinois Library Association, surmises that a robust economy over the last five years has helped libraries to survive tax caps. However, there

169


are those in the library community who foresee a time when the growth will come to a screeching halt, a time without growth, and the subsequent financial hardship on libraries.

Of the tax-capped libraries, only one instituted fees. After an unsuccessful tax increase referendum, Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library District established fees for use of the Internet, computers, photocopies of reference materials and reduced its operating hours.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

Currently, tax caps can be rescinded by the county boards in counties other than Cook and the collar counties by putting the PTELL question to the voter using the same referendum process and ballot question that placed the county under PTELL. For libraries in more than one county subject to tax caps, the referenda must be put on the ballot in each county in which they receive taxes or the majority of library districts equalized assessed value, in Cook or other collar counties, must be located in counties where voters have rejected the most recent PTELL referendum. Since the momentum for tax caps is spreading and there is a belief that tax caps are working, it is unlikely that many counties will be repealing PTELL soon. Nevertheless, voters have chosen to override tax caps through referenda for specific taxing districts, including libraries. In the April 13, 1999, consolidated election, voters approved library tax rate increases for the following libraries under tax caps: Sherman Public Library District; Dongola Public Library District; Colchester District Library; Woodstock Public Library; and McHenry Public Library District. (See the attached map, "History of the PTELL December 1998.)

Before counties come under tax caps, library boards need to increase their rates to the maximum allowed by law and levy for all of the library special taxes: audit, retirement, Medicare, Social Security, insurance, working cash, and building and maintenance. Librarians must become proactive in helping citizens understand what the public library is and means to the community.

To survive the Property Tax Limitation Law, public libraries must network and publicize the impact of tax caps among themselves, other taxing districts (school districts, townships, park districts, etc.) and their library communities at large. Libraries as political entities must help citizens understand that libraries add needed services and value to a community. Illinois library system directors have compiled the LIBRARIANS TOOL KITS FOR SURVIVING ILLINOIS TAX CAPS. The tool box includes strategies for coping with tax caps.

Sources: Department of Revenue. Property Tax Extension Limitation Law: Technical Manual.

PROPERTY TAX EXTENSION LIMITATION LAW COUNTY REFERENDUM RESULTS

November 1996 Election
PTELL Referendum Passed

Boone

Kankakee

Monroe

Union

Champaign

Lee

Morgan

Williamson

Christian

Logan

Randolph

Winnebago

Franklin

Macoupin

Sangamon

Jackson

Menard

Schuyler


PTELL Referendum Rejected
Massac

April 1997 Election
PTELL Referendum Passed
McDonough Stephenson

PTELL Referendum Rejected
Adams     McLean     Shelby

November 1997 Election
PTELL Referendum Passed
JoDaviess     Kendall    Whiteside

PTELL Referendum Rejected
Carroll     LaSalle

March 1998 Election
PTELL Referendum Passed
Tazewell

PTELL Referendum Rejected
Bureau

November 1998 Election
PTELL Referendum Passed
Jefferson     Marion     Washington

PTELL Referendum Rejected
None

April 1999 Election
PTELL Referendum Passed
DeKalb     Livingston

PTELL Referendum Rejected
Madison

Note: PTELL effective for 1991 assessment year in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties and effective for 1994 assessment year in Cook County.

Vote results obtained from the State Board of Elections.

170


LIBRARIES ON THE TAX CAPS WATCH LIST - FY1998-1999

DUPAGE LIBRARY SYSTEM

LIBRARY COUNTY FY93 LIBRARY STATS 91 Tax Year FY94 LIBRARY STATS 92 Tax Year FY95 LIBRARY STATS 93 Tax Year FY96 LIBRARY STATS 94 Tax Year FY97 LIBRARY STATS 95 Tax Year FY98 Dept. of Revenue 96 Tax Year

Bensenville Benensenville Community PLD

Cook

.1432

.1028

.1028

.1109

.1215

.1160

DuPage

.1412

.1413

.1392

.1409

.1413

.1497

Sugar Grove Sugar Grove PLD

Kane

.1368

.1350

.1295

.1227

.1222

.1242

Kaneville
Kaneville PLD

Kane

.1446

.1342

.1242

.1223

.1246

.1033


NORTHERN ILLINOIS LIBRARY SYSTEM

LIBRARY COUNTY FY93 LIBRARY STATS 91 Tax Year FY94 LIBRARY STATS 92 Tax Year FY95 LIBRARY STATS 93 Tax Year FY96 LIBRARY STATS 94 Tax Year FY97 LIBRARY STATS 95 Tax Year FY98 Dept. of Revenue 96 Tax Year
Maple Park- Maple Park PL

Kane

.1128

.1094

.1071

.1094

.1031

.1031

Hampshire - Ella Johnson PLD

Kane

.1367

.1410

.1321

.1303

.1246

.1241

Kirkland - Kirkland PLD

DeKalb

.1500

.1500

.1417

.1327

.1298

.1241

Pearl City -Pearl City PLD

Stephenson

.1412

.1431

.1314

.1222

.1201

.1185

McDonough

.1421

.1500

.1431

.1222

.1168

.1185

Carroll

.1420

.1546

.1462

.1222

.1301

.11846



NORTH SUBURBAN LIBRARY SYSTEM
LIBRARY COUNTY FY93 LIBRARY STATS 91 Tax Year FY94 LIBRARY STATS 92 Tax Year FY95 LIBRARY STATS 93 Tax Year FY96 LIBRARY STATS 94 Tax Year FY97 LIBRARY STATS 95 Tax Year FY98 Dept. of Revenue 96 Tax Year

Barrington Barrington PLD

Lake

.1400

.1280

.1310

.1420

.1420

.1370

Cook

.1633

.1400

.1423

.1310

.1263

.1274

McHenry

.1468

.1342

.1367

.1387

.1331

.1312

Kane

.1312

.1488

.1468

.1390

.1448

.1130

Kenilworth -Kenilworth PLD

Cook

.1830

.1380

.1590

.1700

.1450

.1470

Lake Bluff - Lake Bluff PL

Lake

.1290

.1220

.1160

.1150

.1160

.1190

Lake Forest - Lake Forest Library

Lake

.1300

.1270

.1240

.1220

.1220

.1210


SUBURBAN LIBRARY SYSTEM

LIBRARY COUNTY FY93 LIBRARY STATS 91 Tax Year FY94 LIBRARY STATS 92 Tax Year FY95 LIBRARY STATS 93 Tax Year FY96 LIBRARY STATS 94 Tax Year FY97 LIBRARY STATS 95 Tax Year FY98 Dept. of Revenue 96 Tax Year
Clarendon Hills -Clarendon Hills PL

DuPage

.1420

.1341

.1338

.1338

.1309

.1292

Melrose Park - Melrose Park PL

Cook

.1330

.1130

.1290

.1330

.1180

.1340

Summit - Summit PLD

Cook

.1502

.1473

.1280

.1501

.1970

.1327


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