Will County Gazette

Park Forest officials have launched a Facebook campaign to explain the structure and distribution of property taxes in the community. The effort comes after ongoing questions from residents about why their tax bills are higher than those in neighboring towns.

The "Understanding Your Property Taxes" campaign used visual aids and direct explanations to clarify how local tax dollars are allocated. One post noted that only about 38 percent of the average property tax bill goes to the Village itself, while nearly 55 percent is directed to schools.

Officials traced much of Park Forest’s reliance on property taxes back to economic changes beginning in the 1970s. At that time, Park Forest Plaza, once a significant source of sales tax revenue with major retailers like Sears and Marshall Field's, began to decline following competition from Lincoln Mall in Matteson. This led to a drop in sales tax collections—from more than $1.4 million in 1990 to less than $300,000 by 2010. Although there has been some recovery, with $665,000 collected in 2024, revenues remain well below previous levels.

As a result, Park Forest shifted more responsibility for funding services such as fire protection and recreation directly onto property taxes. In contrast, other communities often use separate taxing districts for these services.

A breakdown shared by the Village showed that for properties within School District 163, about 32.7 percent of taxes go to that district, 20.5 percent go to Rich Township High School District 227, and 1.7 percent support Prairie State College. Less than 40 percent funds Village services.

Village officials stated that they have tried to limit increases in property taxes over the past decade; in half of those years, no increase was enacted at all. Over ten years, the total levy rose by just over nine percent—an average increase under one percent annually.

The campaign also outlined how property taxes fund police and fire departments, recreation programs, parks maintenance, and infrastructure projects. Officials argued these services are vital for maintaining community standards.

Park Forest leaders highlighted ongoing advocacy efforts on behalf of residents—such as monitoring state legislation affecting exemptions and ensuring fair assessments—while working with county and state authorities toward an equitable tax system.

"The goal is to ensure that everyone contributes fairly to the services everyone relies on," Village officials said. They pledged continued cooperation with higher-level government bodies regarding taxation policies.

To view details of the campaign or learn more about local property taxes, residents can visit this page dedicated to explaining Park Forest’s approach: hereto see a page dedicated to the campaign and breaking down taxes in the Village.