Maple Park to put 1 percent sales tax increase on April ballot

According to Village President Kathy Curtis, a landowner with a home with an assessed value of $193,500 will now pay approximately $26 more in village property taxes.

The total extension of the tax levy will be $227,811 compared to $214,513 during the current fiscal year.

The largest factor of decrease in the rate is the increase in the equalized assessed value, which changed from 0.8314 to 0.8118. This year the equalized assessed value increased by 8.77 percent compared to last year’s increase of 6.54 percent.

In other tax news, the board passed a motion regarding a sales tax increase resolution that would allow Maple Park to put a question on the ballot to the village’s voters regarding raising the sales tax to 7.5 percent.

“The motion passed to see if there will be this 1 percent sales increase,” Curtis said. “That will be on the April ballot.”

Finally, there soon could be a new name accompanying the title of village of Maple Park police chief.

“We have extended an offer but it hasn’t been formally accepted yet so we’re not ready to announce it because he might decline it,” Curtis said. “So we’re waiting, but as soon as we find out if he accepts we’ll send out a press release.”

Mike Acosta, who retired from the police chief position in May 2016, continues to serve in an interim role. The new chief will replace Tony Ayala who resigned earlier this year in September.

The police department also continues to seek candidates for part-time hourly police officers. Additional details about these opportunities are available on the village website, www.villageofmaplepark.org.

Lastly, a public hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 28 involving storage units.

“This public hearing is for an application for a special use permit on County Line Road,” Curtis said. “It’s for some storage units, and the public notice will be printed in the paper for that.”