Beecher School Board Approves 2025 Tax Levy; Rate Projected to Drop

Beecher School District 200U Board Meeting | December 10, 2025

Article Summary: The Beecher School District 200U Board unanimously approved its 2025 tax levy, projecting a decrease in the tax rate despite an aggregate levy increase of nearly 5%.

Beecher School Board Key Points:

• Levy Increase: The board approved a 4.9% increase in the aggregate levy, totaling approximately $12.26 million.

• Rate Decrease: Superintendent Jack Gaham projects the tax rate will drop from $5.09 to $4.99 per $100 of equalized assessed valuation (EAV).

• No Hearing Required: Because the request was less than 5% of the previous year’s extension, a Truth in Taxation hearing was not legally required.

The Beecher School District 200U Board on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, unanimously approved the 2025 tax levy, finalizing the district’s financial request for the upcoming year.

Superintendent Dr. Jack Gaham presented the levy details prior to the vote, explaining the district’s strategy under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), commonly known as “tax caps.” The board approved a proposed aggregate levy of $12.26 million, which represents a 4.9% increase over last year’s extension of $11.68 million.

Because the request remained under the 5% threshold, the district was not required to hold a public Truth in Taxation hearing.

Despite the increase in the total dollar amount requested, Gaham told the board that the tax rate is expected to fall. Based on preliminary property value estimates from Will County, Gaham projected the rate would decrease from the previous year’s $5.09 to approximately $4.99.

“You want your EAV (Equalized Assessed Valuation) to continue to go up if you want your rate to go down,” Gaham said. “It’s a balancing act.”

Gaham emphasized that these figures are based on preliminary data and that the final numbers will be determined by the Will County Clerk in the spring.

“I can ask for a billion dollars… and Will County [Clerk] will be like, ‘Ha, here’s your less than 5% or CPI,'” Gaham explained, noting that the district requests the maximum allowable to ensure it captures all available revenue for operations.

The levy passed with unanimous support from the six members present.