Some city officials in Sycamore hope to attract businesses and homeowners to the area with the lowest property tax levy since 1966.

Sycamore’s policy makers expect the tax levy cut will not decrease the city’s revenue and will make Sycamore an attractive alternative destination compared to nearby cities where homeowners and businesses spend more on taxes.

“The City of Sycamore has been trying not to raise the city portion of the tax bill,” said 1st Ward Council Member Cheryl Maness. But it’s not just to help residents. City Manager Bill Nicklas noted, there is another purpose.

“We have been purposely decreasing the tax levy, which will make us more attractive to new businesses.”

The gradual decrease has occurred in the last half-decade, and next year’s taxes will be set at a 40-year low, as they shoot for an 8.7 percent decrease compared to 2005, he said.

Despite the cuts, city officials are confident they will bring in the same amount of revenue.

“We are concentrating on other sources of revenue,” 2nd Ward Alderman Chuck Stowe said.

With more businesses in the area, sales taxes such as bar and restaurant taxes will increase, he said.

The average homeowner is not likely to see a significant decrease in the amount they will be paying, since the city’s EAV figures, or property values, are on the rise, Stowe said.

A tax levy decrease does not always mean the taxpayer will see an actual decrease in the amount of taxes paid. Following the city’s apparent direction, lower taxes on a more expensive home equates to about the same as lower taxes on a cheaper home.

As Maness explained, the levy is the amount the city feels they need for tax revenue to get things done.

Those taxes then go to the DeKalb County officials and back into the city, whether it is for building a new school or replacing crumbled sidewalks.

And Sycamore’s population has gradually increased in recent years, so there is a larger base for tax generation.

Despite the tax levy cut, the city might even see an increase in revenue, since property values are going up and more properties are within city limits, Maness said.

The tax cuts are possible because the government’s subdivisions have been smart with money, she said.

“Our department heads do an excellent job of getting the most value for their dollars,” Maness said.