W E D N E S D A Y
2017 in Homes Page 21
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
December 27, 2017 Vol. 35, No. 19 ONE DOLLAR
@oakpark @wednesdayjournal
D97 board 2017 approves levy amid pushback YEAR IN REVIEW
Officials say the levy actually would be lower overall By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
During a Dec. 19 regular meeting, the Oak Park Elementary Schools District 97 Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a 2017 property tax levy of $71.1 million that is 3 percent, or around $2 million, more than last year’s levy. The vote was opposed by a group of residents, including a current and a former Oak Park trustee, who were concerned that the measure would lead to higher property tax bills. Dr. Alicia Evans, the district’s soon-todepart assistant superintendent of business and operations, said that the levy is only an estimate. The final amount could change based on a variety of factors, such as the taxable value of new property constructed in the village. Evans said that a 2.1 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index accounts for most of the levy increase. In a related matter, the district still plans on using the unanticipated $2.6 million it reSee LEVY on page 9
File photo
PROTEST, THEN A POLICY CHANGE: Protesters march on Scoville Park last February during what was billed as a “Rally for Sanctuary in Oak Park,” an event organized by the Democratic Party of Oak Park and Suburban Unity Alliance, among other groups. More photos on page 12.
So long, 2017. It’s been … well, whatever Resisting Trump, more high-rises and carjackings galore defined the year By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER Staff Reporter
No doubt 2017 will go down in the history books as one of our nation’s most raucous years, marked by protests following the
election of Donald Trump, the rise of the #MeToo movement and demonstrations concerning immigration, police brutality and a number of other issues. Presidential politics aside, real estate development continued to dominate the head-
lines locally in 2017, with new large-scale, mixed-use buildings, largely in the downtown area, advancing — with the promise of hundreds of new residents in the village. See YEAR IN REVIEW on page 14
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