2nd Installment of Property Tax

[Guy_on_Clinton]

Why is the School District the highest line item on this bill??? Mine is over $1400 (04) just for district 98..... do they have golden toilets or what?

Is this for that new school by the tracks?

[mom]

I think it has something to do with all the new construction over the last few years. Both Jefferson and Havlicek had additions that ran way over cost and had other problems when the original contractor went bankrupt. Prairie Oak was new construction and Lincoln just finished the last of several additions.

[catspaws]

Did you notice that piddley amount for the library? Mine was only $71. I definately get more than $71 worth of library use.

[BlackDog]

Did you notice that piddley amount for the library? Mine was only $71. I definately get more than $71 worth of library use.

I agree!!  When there last week, I was told by an employee that all library fines are sent to the city; not kept by the library.  Does anyone know why?  Has it always been done this way?  If so,  it should be changed.

[markweiner]

The school districts always get the most amount of money, followed by the City.  FYI, most of the schools in the State, including Berwyn's, are in dire financial straits.  Expect a referendum to ask for higher taxes at some point(just a guess).

Mark

[mom]

As far as I have been told, the Library is a City of Berwyn Department - not a seperate entity. If this is true, why must we pay an extra tax? Shouldn't it be under our City of Berwyn tax? How about cutting it loose and letting the Library collect and use fines as they need? BTW, if you ever lose a book - just bring a replacement, the Library will never see the money or replacement book if you pay the "lost book" fine.

[catspaws]

mom is right. The library is run through the city budget so all the money the library collects goes to the city. I think the library board may have input into whether the library is a separate entity, but am not sure. There may be an opening or two on the library board. The library board is appointed by the mayor and always has been. To apply, write a letter to the mayor stating your interest, and why you want to be on the library board.

I don't know why the library has a tax line if the money to run it comes from the city budget. It is not much of a tax line though.

[Ted]

To seek full independence from the city, the library will have to go district...that is to say, become a district library, similar to the way Indian Prairie's library is setup.  Indian Prairie serves Willowbrook, Darien, and Burr Ridge.  This is a lengthy process as it takes quite some time and a referendum to pass before it happens.  I say it's the way to go.
Jim

Jim,

 I believe Berwyn used to have two library districts - a North Berwyn Library District and a South Berwy Library District.  When the new library on Riverside and Harlem was purchased in the early 1990s (I believe around 1994), I thought the city had to go through a process of merging the two library districts into a single entity.

I am not sure whether the current library is part of the city's legal structure or whether there is still a separate legal taxing entity called the Berwyn Library District.  My guess is that there is still a separate taxing entity for the library because it still appears on the tax bill as a separate line item.


 The old North Berwyn library was on 16th Street and is now used as a community center. The old South Berwyn Library is on 34th street and Oak Park Avenue and has been vacant now for 10 years, I believe.  When the new library was purchased, it was stated that the city would get money by selling off the two old library buildings yet the city never followed through and has not sold those buildings.

 Yet another broken political promise to the tax payers.

Take Care
 Ted