DeKALB – On Tuesday, the DeKalb Public Library Board of Trustees passed a motion for a $4.1 million property tax levy, down from the recently proposed $4.6 million levy that would have increased taxes.

The board met at the Bilders Family Meeting Room in the DeKalb Public Library at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting was prompted after a Nov. 12 City Council discussion about the tax levy for 2025. 

City officials were concerned about the library’s requested levy of $4.6 million because they initially received no explanation for why it was nearly $1.18 million higher than the 2023 levy. 

The library requests its tax levy separately from the city as a pass-through levy, which the city approves together with its own levy.

Library Director Emily Faulkner met with city officials on Nov. 13 to discuss the library’s proposed levy. 

After meeting with city officials, Faulkner focused the meeting around a proposed budget of just under $4.1 million rather than the original levy of $4.6 million. This updated budget was chosen because it allows for a $0 increase out of pocket for taxpayers. 

For a home with a market value of $409,725, the originally proposed levy would result in an increase of $50 in taxes paid to the library.

“What our taxpayers have been saying is it’s not the rate, it’s the out of pocket dollars paid for each of our taxing bodies,” said DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas. 

Nicklas explained the city is now in a place where they can keep tax rates consistent.

“We’re all trying to at least hold the taxpayer harmless, which is kind of a clumsy phrase, but what it just means is that they pay no more out of pocket taxes to this district or that district than they did the previous year,” Nicklas said.

Board member Kelli Meserole raised concerns about various costs the library may have, and how the plan to keep the levy unchanged may hinder the library’s ability to cover these costs while remaining financially sustainable.

Meserole said there are parts of the library that need repair.

“We have a roof that’s going to need replacing. We have the patio deck, and those doors in the makers lab,” Meserole said. “We have our broken book return system, and we discussed at meetings prior, the cost to replace that whole system would be over a million dollars, which we just can’t afford to do, and we won’t do because that is too much money.” 

Board member Betsy Zimmerman echoed these concerns, explaining that not increasing the levy may put the library in a dangerous position if it were to experience a loss within the next few years.

“I’m not looking at next year. I’m looking at five, 10, 15, 20 years down the road, because that’s my position and job as a board member is to ensure longevity and sustainability of the library system,” Zimmerman said. “And you know, sure things might be great next year, it may be great the next year after that, but there is no pattern in history that would indicate that we would forever experience an upward trajectory.” 

The 0% increase levy was passed in a 5-1 decision, with Meserole being the sole ‘no’ vote.