School Districts Begin Tax Levy Process This Week

It's that time again, homeowners. Local school districts begin their discussions to set the property tax levies for the coming year.

The school board for will take a preliminary look at the tax levy at its meeting at 7 p.m. at . The board will begin the process when it meets at 7 p.m. Thursday at .

Summit Hill Interim Superintendent Barb Rains said Wednesday's meeting will be a chance for board members--and the public--to review the district's financial situation and how that will affect the proposed levy. That proposal will go before the district's newly formed finance committee next month before it's voted on by the board in December, she said.

For Will County residents, the district levies make up about 75 percent of a homeowner's property tax bill, according to the Will County Treasurer's office. Here's a look at the 2010 property tax rates for each of Frankfort's school districts:

It's too early to predict where the 2011 rates will be, but the districts all increased their levies last year as a response to lower property values and the state's continue delinquency in paying out aid. In the past year, none of those factors has changed.

Before the school boards start making their decisions, what do you hope they consider when setting their tax levies? How will a higher tax rate affect the bottom line on your budget? Tell us in the comments section.