White Oak Library Limiting Rate Increase Referendum: April 1 Election

ROMEOVILLE, IL — Election Day is upon us, and voters within White Oak Library District will see a proposition from the library on the ballot, asking for an increase to the library's tax limiting rate. The White Oak Library District operates libraries in Romeoville, Crest Hill and Lockport.

The question on the ballot will read: "Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the White Oak Library District, Will County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.0286% above the limiting rate for levy year 2023 and be equal to 0.208% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2025?

(1) The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recently extended limiting rate is $4,689,455, and the approximate amount of taxes extendable if the proposition is approved is $5,437,050.

(2) For the 2025 levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $9.53.

(3) If the proposition is approved, the aggregate extension for the 2025 levy year will be determined by the limiting rate set forth in the proposition, rather than the otherwise applicable limiting rate calculated under the provisions of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (commonly known as the Property Tax Cap Law).

According to the Library's website, the library currently has a limiting rate of 17.94 cents per $100 of assessed value. The library is asking the public to approve an increase to 20.8 cents per $100 of assessed value.

"If this measure passes, a home’s property tax bill will be increased by $9.53 per $100,000 of the home’s market value," the Library said on its website. Average homes in the Library District would see an increase of about $20 per year, or about $1.68 more per month, on their tax bill, according to the library.

The Library has asked several times since 2016 to increase its operational funding, but voters have rejected each proposition.

"The need for improved library services is very real, and because this referendum has never passed before, the need still exists," Library Director Scott Pointon previously told Patch.

Pointon said the referendum came very close to passing in 2019, and feels that momentum would have led to a successful referendum in 2020, but "circumstances out of our control prevented us from that attempt in 2020."

"The Board and I feel that we are far enough past 2020 that we can pick this back up and give it another go," Pointon said.

If the referendum is successful, the Library said it will increase hours, add a bookmobile, increase services for seniors and young children, and increase online and virtual services.

Pointon said the demographics of the library are very unique, and about 1 in 5 of its residents are senior citizens.

"That is not a problem, but we do need to meet that demand head-on by bolstering the services we provide to seniors, without damaging the services that we provide for everyone else," Pointon said.

Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on April 1. If you are already in line to vote when the polls close, you can still vote — so don't leave!

If you don't know your polling place, find it here.