W E D N E S D A Y
December 26, 2018 Vol. 39, No. 21 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Gift baskets Sports, page 44
Schools tout 2018 tax savings with eye on new state grant YEAR IN REVIEW
Districts 97, 200 explore relief for taxpayers By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
Property owners in Oak Park and River Forest, whose high tax bills are the stuff of lore, can anticipate some significant relief in the near future from the two local governments that take in the bulk of that property tax revenue — Oak Park Elementary School District 97 and Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200. Officials in both districts last week touted millions in tax abatements that they’ve issued in recent years. District 200 officials said that if they receive funding from a new state grant designed to provide tax relief for high-taxed districts — which they believe is likely — area taxpayers can anticipate even more savings. Recently, school boards in both districts passed estimated tax levies for 2018 that keep pace with the 2.1 percent rate growth in the Consumer Price Index. During a regular meeting on Dec. 20, D200 officials said that the 2.1 percent 2018 levy increase could generate another $1.4 million in tax revenues to the district, increasing the See SCHOOLS on page 8
ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
MESSAGING: Marchers rally in front of the Lake Theatre on Nov. 11, during a Unite Against Hate March in Oak Park and River Forest.
Big changes for Oak Park in 2018 A year marked by a groundbreaking documentary, high-rises, and tax talk
By TIM INKLEBARGER & MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporters
News of local documentarian Steve James’ America to Me series about the achievement gap at Oak Park and River Forest High School dominated headlines this year in the village, but Oak Parkers
SAVE THE DATE
had plenty to talk about on other issues like taxes, tall buildings, Divvy bikes and the upcoming municipal election in 2019.
The year of ‘America to Me’ The year 2018 in Oak Park might best be divided into two periods — before America to Me and after America to Me. When the
10-part documentary series, directed by longtime Oak Parker Steve James, along with a diverse coterie of co-directors, aired on Starz in August, it touched down like a meteorite, exploding some people’s preconceptions and other people’s comfort zones. See OAK PARK 2018 on page 10
SAY Connects presents our next installment in a series of community conversations. Come hear what our young people have to say. January 17, 2019 • Julian Middle School Auditorium: 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Registration is Required - RSVP at oakpark.com/sayconnects Email advance questions to: sayconnects@oakpark.com