White Oak Referendum: Voters Reject Tax Increase For Fifth Time

ROMEOVILLE, IL — White Oak Library District hoped the fifth time was the charm, but once again its bid for a tax rate increase failed on Tuesday. After a referendum was defeated for the fourth consecutive time in March, officials once again appealed for additional funding.

The library district notes on its website that its operating tax rate was 18 cents per $100 of assessed value, and "89 years later, our operating tax rate is 18.54 cents per $100 of assessed value."

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On Tuesday's ballot, the district asked that the rate be increased to 21.5 cents per $100 of assessed value, a rate hike that it says would cost the average homeowner $1.40 more per month, or $16.80 per year. Voters said no to tax rate increases in April 2017, November 2016 and March 2016.

Vote Results

White Oak Library District referendum: "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 0.0296% above the limiting rate for levy year 2017 and be equal to 0.215% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2018?"

With 100 percent of precincts reporting:

• Yes: 39.82%
• No: 60.18%

NOTE: Tuesday's results are unofficial and do not include provisional and late absentee ballots. Candidates are listed in the order in which they appear on the Will County Clerk's site. Vote totals are also available via the Will County Clerk's Office; the Will County portion of the City of Aurora is now included in these election results.

District officials said the library would use the additional funds to improve library services — a long-awaited goal of the district since it revamped its existing libraries and built a new Crest Hill branch several years ago.

In 2010, a successful $23 million referendum allowed the library district to purchase and renovate the Romeoville branch, renovate and add a 5,000-square-foot addition to the Lockport branch and build a brand-new Crest Hill library.

But that same year, the library reduced its weekly hours from 68 to 60 at each branch. "We seek not only to restore those lost hours, but also add a few more based on the feedback we received in our public user survey," the library said.

The library had hoped to secure funding for a new schedule at each branch:

• Sunday: Open an hour earlier (current hours 1 to 5 p.m.)
• Monday-Thursday: Open an hour earlier and stay open a half-hour later (current hours 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.)
• Friday: Open an hour earlier, stay open two hours later (current hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• Saturday: Open an hour earlier (current hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

The increase would have allowed the library to create a digital media lab where residents and business owners could transfer VHS to DVD, restore family photos, create promotional materials, record podcasts, film videos, compose music and more. The funding would have also paid for increased services for older residents.

See more Illinois and Will County election results:

• Big Wins For Democrats: Illinois 2018 Election Results
• Manley, Batinick, Walsh Win Re-Election
• Will County Board Election: Wins For Most Incumbents
• Will County Sheriff Election Results: Kelley Wins Re-Election
• Will County Clerk Election Results: Staley-Ferry Defeats McPhillips
• White Oak Referendum: Library Tax Increase Fails

Photo via Romeoville Patch file