Comment on Library trustees approve 10% tax hike to avoid operating deficit by Rufus Laggren

['Bob Seidenberg', 'More Bob Seidenberg', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar'] Comments for Evanston RoundTable 2025-09-21 00:00:00

The Evanston Public Library Board of Trustees directed staff last Wednesday to draw up a 2026 budget with a 10% increase to the library’s property tax levy, opting for the hike to avoid an operating deficit in fiscal year 2026. Credit: Evanston Public LibraryNotta also included scenarios for property tax hikes of 11% ($203,396 revenues over operating expenses) and 12% ($286,639). Michelle Mills, center, head of the library’s Finance Committee, sketched out some of the details of the library’s budget proposal. Under state law, the library board is required to act in September to meet statutory deadlines for submitting its annual tax levy, according to Wilburn. According to Wilburn, EPL’s share of PPRT tax revenue should be between $320,000 and $360,000 annually, depending on the formula used.