Forest Preserve District Of Will County Approves 2026 Budget, Decreases Property Tax

WILL COUNTY, IL — The Forest Preserve District of Will County's 2026 budget is balanced, and its property tax rate will drop 6.78 percent next year, the preserve district shared in a news release. Forest Preserve Commissioners unanimously approved the budget on Nov. 13.

“We’ve made great progress this year in expanding opportunities for conservation, recreation, and education,” said Tracy Chapman, the Forest Preserve’s executive director.

The District has acquired almost 800 acres in the past year with proceeds from the $50 million bond issue approved in 2024 to fund a 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program, Chapman added.

“The acquisitions speak volumes about our team’s dedication and the community’s support,” she said in a release. “Every acre we protect and every project we complete adds to the legacy we’re building for future generations. We’re proud of the work we’ve done, and we’re even more excited about what’s ahead in 2026.”

The District's 2026 budget totals $83 million, $19 million less than the previous year, due to the first year of the capital plan being completed.

“The 2026 balanced budget will continue to support the District’s essential services, capital projects, and debt obligations while remaining well below all legal tax rate limits,” Chapman said. “This conservative approach reflects the District’s long-standing commitment to responsible budgeting and living within its means.”

The District’s overall 2025 tax rate is estimated at 0.0815 per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, down from 0.0874 for the 2024 levy, which represents a 6.78 percent overall decrease. The 2024 property tax levy was $26.7 million. The 2025 levy, payable in 2026, will be $26.9 million.

The Forest Preserve District’s tax rate has been dropping for years. For instance, for a $350,000 home, the Forest Preserve portion was $126.75 in 2023, $95.17 in 2024, and under the 2025 tax levy, it’s $89.08.

“That’s a projected savings of roughly $6.09 for the average homeowner compared to last year, illustrating how our rate and levy decisions translate into real, small-dollar savings,” said Rachel Mayer, the Forest Preserve’s finance director.

According to the preserve, the budget includes several projects including HVAC replacement at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, estimated between $850,000 and $1.1 million; new police vehicles; maintenance equipment; and a $310,000 computer network upgrade.

The Forest Preserve also is moving forward with some projects for public access and restoration, including:

• Isle a la Cache preserve improvements
• Hammel Woods Campground improvements
• Four Rivers/McKinley Woods canoe/kayak launch
• Plum Creek/Snapper Pond access and dock
• City of Wilmington canoe launch, cost share
• DuPage River Trail, Weber Road connection, phase I engineering
• Wolf’s Crossing Road, Normantown Trail connection, phase I engineering
• Plum Creek Greenway Trail Extension at Plum Valley Preserve
• Hidden Lakes Trout Farm shelter installations
• Veterans Memorial Trail tunnel and lighting
• Veterans Memorial Trail, phase I engineering of the trail extension from 159th to 135th Street; completing the northern segment of the trail in partnership with the Illinois Toll Highway Authority
• Riverview Farmstead Preserve loop trail and amenities, phase I engineering for the conversion of Book Road.
• Plum Creek Nature Center improvements, design renovations for improvements to the nature center, which was last renovated in 2002.
• Sand Ridge Savanna Nature Preserve restoration, native seeding and ecological management of 400 acres
• McKinley Woods restoration, invasive shrub control, native seeding, and prescribed burning of 350 acres
• Forked Creek Preserve restoration, continuing restoration of 170 acres of agricultural fields to native habitats

The projects are funded through property taxes, transfers from operating funds, and fund balances, including proceeds from the 2024 bond sale, Mayer explained. Special funds will also be employed to pay for projects.

“The grant fund is projected at $6.3 million, helping us leverage local dollars into larger projects,” Mayer added in a news release. “And the mitigation fund, budgeted at $150,000, supports restoration through wetland credits.”