Oak Park proposes steep property tax levy increase 

The Oak Park village government’s 2027 proposed budget has been issued and it includes a whopping 7.94% hike in the village’s percentage of local property taxes. The staff proposal is based on goals set by the village board. The board and its finance committee will now host a series of public meetings to review and possibly adjust the draft. The full board will adopt a final budget in December. The village levies property taxes to fund the operating budget, debt service, and police and fire pensions. Simply speaking, it is the amount of revenue the village needs to collect from property owners in order to fund its annual budget, this year valued just over $43 million in property taxes. The village has additional sources of tax and fee revenues. The proposed 2027 general fund expenditures, including one-time and reoccurring expenses, is about $86.3 million. The upcoming year marks an “inflection point” for the village, said Chief Financial Officer Kevin Bueso. He also