Skokie’s long-running property tax freeze looks like it might finally crack. On Monday, village trustees signaled they are prepared to lift the cap and raise Skokie’s portion of the property tax levy for the first time since 1990. At the board meeting, trustees authorized staff to begin preparing an ordinance, a procedural step that is not itself a tax increase. Officials say the goal is to shore up village services and staffing after years of hiring freezes and the wind-down of key grant funding.
Staff recommended a 2025 property tax levy of $16,206,345, roughly $749,650 more than last year. The village projects the change would add about $21.34 a year to the typical residence, $57.56 for a commercial parcel, and $137.35 for an industrial property, according to the meeting packet from the Village of Skokie.
At the Nov. 17 meeting, trustees voted to let the administration draft an ordinance to raise the village’s portion of the levy. That vote was strictly procedural and did not lock in any tax hike, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
Village staff say the proposed levy would generate roughly $750,000 in additional revenue to cover immediate pressures. That includes three firefighter positions currently paid with a federal SAFER grant that is set to expire, along with a selective restoration of roles lost to a hiring freeze that began in 2010 and still leaves about 39 positions unfilled, according to the manager’s report and finance memo in the packet. Officials argue the change would help stabilize service levels without depending entirely on sometimes volatile sales tax receipts.
Where Skokie Gets Its Money
Skokie’s budget leans heavily on commerce-tied taxes. Nearly three-quarters of the General Fund comes from sources like sales, income, food-and-beverage and hotel taxes, according to the FY26 Budget-in-Brief from the Village of Skokie. That mix makes Skokie particularly sensitive to retail and dining trends and helps explain its long reliance on fees and visitor taxes to keep pressure off property owners.
The village’s finance director told reporters that Westfield Old Orchard contributes roughly a quarter of Skokie’s sales tax revenue, and cell phone data suggest about 90% of that spending comes from nonresidents, a reminder that visitor dollars drive a large share of the town’s revenue, the Chicago Tribune reported.
What Comes Next
If trustees decide to move ahead with a final ordinance, staff say the levy and abatement ordinances are expected to come back for a second reading and possible adoption at the board’s Dec. 1 meeting. Any approved change would then show up on tax collections in the following cycle. For now, the board’s action is limited to allowing staff and legal counsel to draft ordinance language and related materials for public review.
For taxpayers, the village’s own estimates put the impact at about $1.78 per month for the average homeowner, with larger dollar increases for commercial and industrial owners. Village officials are pitching the proposal as a narrow, targeted step to hold up public safety staffing and preserve core services after years of deferred hiring and expiring federal support.
