The La Grange Park Village Board Monday promoted six firefighters and welcomed three new hires, expanded the Village’s liquor licenses, and formally approved the 2021 property tax levy.
Three of the firefighters honored were “pinned” for promotions, three were pinned for competing their probationary periods, and three were new hires sworn in for the on-call Department.
“I want to thank you for protecting us and for all that you do,” Village PresidentJames Discipio said after the ceremony.
John Psenicka, who began with the Department in 1996, was promoted to Captain, as were Jim Gruszka (1990), and Steve Tullis (2002). John Fagen, who started in 2000, was promoted to Lieutenant.
Being pinned for completing probation were Matt Kerry, Charlie Porter, and Chris Psenicka, all hired in 2018.
The new hires, all from 2020, were Ken Marciniak, Miko Ortega, and Stefan Weston.
Fire Chief Dean Maggos said the ceremony was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and praised the group for its qualifications and work for the Village.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t do this earlier,” he said. “We are glad to get to this point. Each of these firefighters is very deserving of their promotions.”
The increase in liquor licenses was prompted by a new business in the Village, Happier Now Market and Cafe, located at 1016. E. 31st St.
The Villages class A and B license are capped at six each, and for Happier Now Market to obtain its Class B license, a formal expansion of allowable licenses was needed.
“If we don’t allow this, we’re doing this business a disservice,” Trustee Jamie Zaura said before the ordinance was unanimously approved.
The board formally approved the Village’s 2021 property tax levy, calling for an increase of 3.4 % over last year’s levy.
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For a homeowner with a property valued at $450,000, it will mean an increase of about $20.
The Village operates under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), often called the tax cap.
PTELL limits the amount a municipality can levy to 5 % or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. If the levy is estimated to be over 5 %, the Village would be required to hold a public hearing, but that’s not the case this year.
This year’s change in CPI is 1.4 %, and with an added 2 % tacked on for new construction in the Village, the value of which won’t be known until Spring 2022.
If at that time, the level winds up more than 5 %, the County Assessor’s Office automatically adjusts it to meet the PTELL requirements of 1.4 %.
However, for most municipalities, a miscalculation rarely occurs and La Grange Park stresses on its website that most property owners, absent a significant improvement on their property that could change the assessment, will see the 1.4 % increase.
Depending on which school district a property resides, the Village’s share of the property owner’s property tax bill is between 11 and 13 %.
The total dollar amount of the levy is estimated at $3,963,772; in addition to the tax extension, the village will also levy $1,244,750 for debt service on bonds for road and fire service bonds.
The total levy comes to $5,208,750, but the debt levy is separate from the tax levy and is not subject to PTELL.
The tax levy, separate from the debt levy, consists of several different departments, including the corporate fund, which includes administration salaries, and building maintenance ($1,149,042), Police pension ($1,320,680), Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund ($60,000), Streets and Bridges ($30,000), Police protection ($550,000) Fire Protection, ($550,000), Social Security ($70,000), Liability insurance ($75,000), Crossing guards ($40,000) and ambulance service ($119,000).
Add the debt levy to the tax extension levy and the total comes to $5,208,750.
The levy was approved with little comment, with Discipio only saying “I’m happy with it.”