W E D N E S D A Y
April 10, 2019 Vol. 39, No. 35 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Quite a Schock Page 25
Court strikes down Keystone tax deal Village appeal still hanging in state Department of Revenue By NONA TEPPER Staff Reporter
After nearly a year of debate, a judge granted Keystone Montessori School tax exempt status on April 2, ruling that the village’s agreement to offer zoning relief in exchange for tax dollars was never valid. The “court ruling was a long-awaited and wonderful validation of Keystone’s real estate tax exemption status,” Vicki Shea, director of Keystone, said in a statement. “We are a school and, as any school, we contribute to the community’s well-being by re-enforcing the importance of education by providing a diversity of educational approaches for local residents.” In March 2018, Keystone took the village to court, alleging that 20-years ago River Forest officials said they would only approve the school’s zoning permit for an existing commercial building on North Avenue if Keystone agreed never to seek a property tax exemption. Because the state guarantees schools a property tax exemption, Keystone argued that the agreement with River Forest was not valid. The school asked the village for reimbursement of attorneys’ fees, $1.1 million in property taxes it said it has paid over two decades, and an end to the agreeSee KEYSTONE on page 14
Sliding into spring
ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Chosyn O’Grady, of Oak Park, gets a helping hand while going down the slide at Longfellow Park on April 6 in Oak Park. For more photos, turn to page 3 and visit online at www.OakPark.com.
Fresh faces, plus continuity
Oak Park trustees a mix of experience and new ideas By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER Staff Reporter
Oak Park has two new trustees and one incumbent who’s returning to the board, following the village’s most highly contested election in memory.
Susan Buchanan, Arti Walker-Peddakotla and Jim Taglia were the top three votegetters in the race amongst 11 candidates. Voter turnout dropped 10 percentage points to 23 percent from the last municipal election in 2017. Of the 39,705 registered voters in Oak Park, a total of 9,138 cast ballots. Oak Parkers also elected three members each to the Park Board of Commissioners and the Oak Park Library Board.
With all 37 precincts counted, Buchanan had captured 3,946 for 15.4 percent of the vote. Jim Taglia, won 3,135 at 12.27 percent, and Arti Walker-Peddakotla earned 3,039 votes for 11.89 percent. Viewed a different way, 43 percent of those who voted – each Oak Parker gets to pick up to three trustees on the ballot – cast at least one of their votes for BuSee ELECTION on page 13