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Northlake Public Library District
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Referendum 2024

The Board of Trustees is asking residents to vote on March 19, 2024, during the upcoming primary election, because it is the most fiscally responsible time to do so, as the building bonds will be paid off.

The building bonds that were issued in 2006 and reissued in 2014 used to construct the current library will be paid off in December 2024. The referendum question will ask for an increase that is equivalent to the amount of debt reduction, resulting in a no-net tax increase that will shift funds used for the bond into operating funds.

.101 of our current .397 tax levy goes to fund our bond payments.25%
25%
If our referendum passes, the full .397 tax levy will go to fund our operating budget.100%
100%

As stewards of the Library District, the Board is responsible for maintaining the taxpayer’s $9 million-dollar facility and finds that the inadequate amount of revenue currently received to operate will put the Library into a precarious situation as it does not have the funding to pay for upcoming building needs.

Referendum Vote

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This referendum is our only opportunity to secure a no-net increase to funding to pay for upcoming building needs. 

What will the ballot question say?

Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Northlake Public Library District, Cook County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.101% above the limiting rate for levy year 2022 for library purposes and be equal to 0.397% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2024?

  1. The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recently extended limiting rate is $2,231,365, and the approximate amount of taxes extendable if the proposition is approved is $2,992,743.
  2. For the 2024 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 $30.
  3. If the proposition is approved, the aggregate extension for 2024 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).

YES
NO

Residents vote
“Yes”
  • If residents vote “Yes”, the tax rate would remain the same at .397, and the Library District would receive an increase in operating funds, which would allow it to refresh the Children's Department, take care of deferred maintenance, and build a reserve for upcoming building costs for the 37,000 square foot facility and grounds.
Residents vote
"No"
  • If residents vote “No”, the library tax rate would decrease 25% to .296, and the Library District would be required to reduce programs, books, and services by at minimum 25% in order to keep the library operational in the future.

Neither a YES or a NO vote will make the library tax rate increase.

How will my vote impact the Library?

✓ Yes!Referendum Passes
  • • No increase to taxes.

  • • A Children’s Department refresh.

  • • Repair or replace broken and outdated equipment, especially in the areas of technology and HVAC.

  • • New roof, carpet replacement, energy efficient components, parking lot maintenance, window and door replacements, and more.

  • • Savings will be replenished to stabilize the library’s capital improvement budget.

✗ NoReferendum Doesn't Pass
  • • No increase to taxes.

  • • Instead of paying for the library to be open with full services, we would reassign revenue used for hours, staffing, books, and services into maintaining the facility.

  • • Decrease of about 25% on our operating budget which reduces spending on programs, books, and services.

  • • Availability of new materials would be further limited, and there would be even longer wait times for new books, movies, music, and downloadable content.

With a “Yes” vote:

  • The Library would receive approximately $760,000 annually in operating funds in addition to its current revenue of $2,231,365 for an operating revenue of $2,992,743.
  • This increase is roughly the amount of the building bond payment, but it would be moved to operating the library instead of debt service.
  • If the Referendum passes, the Library would start receiving this additional revenue in September 2025, which is when services would increase or resume.

How will the additional money be used?

  • Children’s Department Refresh: In addition to remodeling the space with new carpet, wallpaper, and signage, the Children’s Department refresh would focus on creating spaces that provide interactive activities to support early childhood development, engage families, and foster creativity.
  • Increased Materials Funding and Expanded Programs & Services: This will enable the Library to offer more new and up-to-date books, movies, and music, while decreasing wait times for downloadable content. More resources will be available to focus on early literacy skills and making the library accessible to everyone, including those who are homebound with more outreach services.
  • Deferred Maintenance: The Library will be able to service the building and grounds properly and repair or replace broken and outdated equipment, especially in the areas of technology, HVAC, and exterior building maintenance, such as tuckpointing and the roof.
  • Long-Term Fiscal Responsibility: The Library will continue to plan and save for capital maintenance for our 18-year-old building.

A snapshot of capital improvements needed:

Item

Price 

Installation

Replacement Date
Electrical      
Generator Replacement $        70,000.00  2006 2022
Fire Alarm System $        78,000.00  2006 2024
Transformer $        15,656.00  2006 2027
Distribution Panels $      154,985.00  2006 2032
Lighting Control Panel $      123,236.00  2006 2033
Mechanical      
HVAC Split systems $        28,120.00  2006 2021
RTU 1&2 $      551,260.00  2006 2026
AHU $      134,942.00  2006 2046
Architectural      
Carpet & Moving $      228,872.00  2006 2024
Paint Touch Ups $          6,000.00  2006 Every 5 years
Parking Lot Paving $        94,530.00  2006 2025
Landscaping and Snow Removal $        20,000.00  2006 Yearly
Masonry $        37,343.00  2006 2025
Roof $      441,125.00  2006 2031

Grand Total

$  1,984,069.00 

 

  

A “Yes” vote would help us fund our improvement projects and will prevent us from reducing the budget in other areas, which would impact materials and services.

FAQs

  • For every $100,000 of home value, the current estimated amount you pay in library taxes is $122 per year.
    • If the referendum passes, the tax rate would remain the same and the Library would be able to provide more services and save to maintain the building.
    • If the referendum does not pass, the tax rate would be reduced by $30 per $100,000 of home value. This is same amount of the bond that is going to be paid off in December 2024.
  • The graph below details the percentage of an average tax bill for someone living in Northlake. If the Library referendum is successful, this percentage would remain the same, or about 3% of your tax bill. If our referendum were to fail, we’d fall to 2%, the lowest on this list. 
  • Of the 3% of your tax bill that goes to the library, only 75% of that bill goes towards operating the library. The other 25% currently goes to pay the building bond (the Library’s mortgage). The Library’s building construction bond debt, which was issued in 2006 with voter approval, will be paid off in December 2024.
  • Once the building is paid off, that tax rate equivalent to 25% of the total library tax rate goes away.
  • If the referendum passes, then the funds that the library currently uses to pay the building bonds will be levied instead for operating funds (money that can be used to run the Library’s operations and services).
  • During the 2005 election, there was a question on the ballot for the Northlake Public Library. The question to build the new library passed! The voters had spoken and wanted a new library. There have been no further questions on the ballot for the Library in 19 years.
  • The Library used various methods over the years to keep costs down while offering the most services possible to residents. These included:
    • Understaffing the building
    • Utilizing volunteers
    • Applying for grants (our most recent building improvements, such as the new north side entrance, have been entirely grant funded)
  • Additionally, there has been virtually no way to save for capital needs or afford maintenance on the aging facility.
  • A capital needs plan estimates the Library will need approximately $1.5 million in the next 10 years towards maintenance and capital needs for the 37,000 square foot building. Therefore, the Library cannot continue to operate with this level of funding without going into debt or becoming inoperable.
  • This referendum question for a limiting rate increase will be on the ballot at the March 19, 2024, Election, and the funds would start to be available for the Library to operate in September 2025, which is when services would begin to increase.  
  • No. The Northlake Public Library District is an entirely separate taxing body from the City. Our taxing rate and revenues are independent of any other institution.
  • The Northlake Public Library District is an independent taxing body and does not receive funding from the City of Northlake, Village of Stone Park, or Leyden Township.
  • The Library District serves 26,000 residents in Northlake, Stone Park, and unincorporated Leyden. This means that the Library District has much larger boundaries than the City of Northlake.

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