Residents will see increases in their property tax bills next year as several units of government move to raise their respective levies.

The Lake Bluff Library, all three local public school districts, and the Lake Bluff Park District are poised to approve levy hikes.

One of the largest increases is from the Lake Bluff Library, which will raise its property tax levy by 9% over last year, according to Library Director Natalie Starosta. She said minimal levy increases in past years have left the library with a depleted capital fund.

“I wish we didn’t have to do that, but because we don’t have that capital fund built up and we have so many things in the facility that haven’t been addressed on an ongoing basis, we are having to do some catch-up work,” Starosta said in an interview.

She noted that the Scranton Avenue building needs repairs, specifically pointing to an aging HVAC system and insulation issues.

“We are trying to plan for those things and start working on those improvements rather than pushing them down the road,” she said.

The library accounts for about 3 % of the typical Lake Bluff property tax bill, according to Village Finance Director Bettina O’Connell. (The village issues the levy for the library.) She said residents should expect a combined increase of $134.45 for the village and library on a home valued at $850,000. Village trustees approved the final levy for both entities at their Dec. 8 meeting, Village Administrator Drew Irvin said.

Meanwhile, all three local school districts are also moving toward increases.

The Lake Forest District 67 board, which oversees the elementary schools, passed a tentative levy increase of roughly 4 % at its November meeting. That, coupled with new life-safety debt issuance, will translate into an additional approximate $315 for a property valued at $1 million, according to spokeswoman Melissa Oakley.

A vote for final approval was scheduled for Dec. 16.

The Lake Forest High School District 115 board approved a tentative levy increase of just over 3 % last month, which officials said would add about $127.05 to the bill for a property valued at $1 million. A vote on final approval was set for Dec. 11. LFHS represents 28.5 % of the total property tax bill, while District 67 accounts for about 26 percent, according to school officials.

In Lake Bluff District 65, the school board is scheduled to vote Dec. 16 on a proposed 3.4 % levy increase, Finance Director Jay Kahn said. He said the hike would add about $140 to the tax bill for a $600,000 home. The district’s two-school elementary system represents roughly 40 % of the overall tax bill, Kahn said.

At the Lake Bluff Park District, commissioners were scheduled to vote Dec. 15 on a nearly three percent levy increase, Executive Director John Bealer said. The increase would add about $11.19 to the taxes on an $850,000 home. The Park District makes up 7 % of the total property tax bill.

Lake Forest is one of the few North Shore communities where parks fall under city oversight rather than a separate park district.

The City of Lake Forest approved its final levy at its Dec. 1 meeting.

Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/lake-bluff-property-tax-levy-increases/