Every year, the village files a tax levy with the Cook County Clerk, which uses the levy to calculate property taxes for municipalities.  

At the Nov. 24 village council meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution that establishes the estimated property tax levy. For the 2025 tax year, the village estimates that the combined property tax levy will bring in $10,230,118 for both the village and the Forest Park Public Library — a 5.5% increase in funds from last year.  

Last year’s approved 5% tax levy increase — though the final rate established by the clerk was 3.5% — was estimated to bring in $7.4 million for the village and $2.4 million to the library. This year’s estimated levy would give an additional $394,000 to the village and $142,000 to the library. 

Out of all the village’s taxing districts, the village gets about 14% of collected property taxes, and the library sees about 4.5%.  

According to a memo to commissioners from Finance Director Letitia Olmsted, the Cook County Clerk usually reduces the final tax rate from what is suggested in the levy. For example, last year, the village asked for a combined tax levy that was also a 5.5% increase from 2023, but the final rate established by the clerk was 3.5%.  

According to Olmsted, this money is vital to village operations.   

In the 2024 fiscal year, village expenditures increased 8.8%, or by over $2 million, half of which went into pension funding. And new revenue the village saw from the 2024 tax year made up over 30% of the revenue increase for the 2025 fiscal year. 

“It might not seem significant, but it is essential,” Olmsted said in the memo.  

Because Forest Park is a non-home rule municipality, it’s subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, which sets a cap on the percent increase that the village can levy.  

Over the next few weeks, the approved estimated property tax levy is available for inspection by the public.  

Village Administrator Rachell Entler said copies of the estimated levy are available at Village Hall. There will be a public hearing at 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 15 on the lower level of Village Hall for residents to share their comments on the levy before the village council votes whether to adopt it at the 7 p.m. meeting. Estimated property tax levies must be filed with the Cook County Clerk by Dec. 30.