FAQ

The Park District is aware that information has been disseminated about the Park District referendum from a few concerned residents. The Park District Board placed the referendum on the November ballot because we received requests and strong support over the last few years for Townley Field improvements. And in particular our recent survey identified strong support for these improvements and for a tax levy amount that has been proposed. To view the survey summary data click here. It is important that our residents have the most accurate information. The following are responses to statements that have been disseminated by a few concerned residents.

Statement: This proposed Referendum, if approved, will raise your Kenilworth Park District (KPD) taxes by 70%.

Response: This statement could be misleading. The proposed increase is for 70% of the Park Districts 2.5% portion, not a 70% increase on your total tax bill. Here’s the accurate breakdown: The total tax rate for a taxpayer in Kenilworth was $8.338 per $100 of Equalized Assessed Value as of the 2023 tax levy. The Kenilworth Park District received $0.225 / $1,000, or only approximately 2.5% of the total tax paid by a Kenilworth resident.

• The District’s current limiting rate is 0.189%. The proposed increase would raise it by 0.132%, bringing the total to 0.321%, bringing the total tax for the Kenilworth Park District to 0.321%
• The current tax revenue received by KPD is $705,325. The proposed referendum would increase this by $492,000, bringing the total revenue to $1,197,325.
• The average $1.5 million district home would see an increase of $600 per year in property taxes.

To further clarify, this is consistent with the figures from the referendum homepage.

“The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recently extended limiting rate is $705,325, and the approximate amount of taxes extendable if the proposition is approved is $1,197,325.”

Statement: The proposed increase, combined with Cook County’s upcoming real estate tax reassessment, will likely double your KPD tax bill.

Response: This is misleading. Each taxing agency taxes a certain dollar amount of tax each year. The tax is applied to the current Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) in order to establish a tax rate. That tax rate is then applied to your individual property. An increase to EAV will therefore drop the corresponding rate. If all of the properties in an area increase by the same percentage, there wouldn’t be a corresponding increase in taxes. If certain property increases at a different percent than other property, the total tax would be re-distributed accordingly, but this does not have anything to do with the tax extended by a taxing body. Other than referendum, a taxing body is subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), such as the park district, that can only increase their tax extension (in terms of dollar amount) by the lesser of CPI or 5%, not including new property. EAV growth would therefore simply result in a lower tax rate.

Statement: This referendum is to cover budget shortfalls, support salary and benefit growth for KPD employees, and provide debt coverage for past borrowing.

Response: This is incorrect misinformation. To understand park district financials, one must understand “fund accounting”. Fund Accounting requires all capital purchases to be included in the P&L, which means when the park district uses capital funds to construct, update, or repair property and equipment the investments are accounted for as expenses. When removing the investments made to update the interior of Assembly Hall, build the Assembly Hall patio, reconstruct the Assembly Hall front walkway, and build the new South Townley Park, the Park District has been profitable from an operations basis.

The District’s operating funds (General and Recreation) ended FY2023 with a surplus of $221,629 which the District earmarked for future capital expenses. Unrestricted operating fund balance in FY2023 was $375,099 or a solid 28% of operating fund expenses. The District has maintained stable financial operations, despite its limited tax revenues. In a recent interview with financial consultants, both consulting groups indicated that should the District receive a financial rating, it would be AAA which is the highest rating indicating high quality operations paired with low credit risk.

The Kenilworth Park District has been financially responsible and has significantly grown its facilities and programming over the past decade, investing over $3 million into the aforementioned community and capital projects. The District has not had budget shortfalls, its pay and benefits are in line with other park districts, and the referendum is not providing debt coverage for past borrowing.

The referendum is focused on the future to provide funding for the following

• A new Recreation Center to provide year-round programming for residents of all ages.
  • Feedback from our most recent community survey prioritizes a basketball or indoor turf gym to support sports activities, indoor pickleball, and sport clinics, and indoor multipurpose spaces for all-age programs and space that can be rented by community organizations for meetings and events. We also had favorable responses for an outdoor terrace attached to the rec center to allow residents to enjoy outdoor sporting and leisure activities.
• Continued improvements to outdoor recreational spaces on Townley Field.
  • Improvements include adding new indoor and outdoor ADA accessible restroom facilities, upgrading to new natural grass and a commercial irrigation system, and replacing current lighting with energy efficient LED lights.
• Potential relocation of the Green Bay Bike Trail near Townley Field.
  • Part of our plan has been to acquire land from the Union Pacific Company to build the trail on the land adjacent to the railroad tracks. Funds have been identified to purchase the land, but Union Pacific has not accepted our offer at this point. As a second option, we are working on a potential easement that would allow us to build this portion of the trail as envisioned. Relocation of the trail will include collaboration and require approval from the School Board and Village Board.

Statement: KPD is involved in reckless, unfunded spending such as $1.2 million for a patio at Kenilworth Club, financed by $600,000 in debt—KPD’s first-ever borrowing.

Response: This is misleading. The Kenilworth Park District did secure a $613,400 loan at a historically low 1.6% interest rate to cover the costs of rebuilding the west side foundation wall of Assembly Hall, constructing a patio, and enhancing the front walkway. The patio build was accelerated to provide an enhancement for outside community activities (Monday night food trucks, a community café, and outdoor music concerts during the end of Covid which put restrictions on indoor gatherings.) However, this loan has been fully serviced through general park district operations and is entirely separate from the referendum. The Kenilworth Park District continues to experience positive operational revenues and healthy fund balances, which reflect sound financial viability.

Statement: $1.7 million for a new playground, partially funded by raiding $500,000 from the Storch fund and relying on $350,000 in donations.

Response: This is misleading. The Townley South project is a $1.2 million fully funded project without incurring any long-term debt. The Kenilworth Park District received a $400,000 matching grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, supplemented by positive investments from the Margeurite L. Storch Garden Fund, proceeds from the ADA Accessibility tax, and use of positive district operational revenues. The use of the Marguerite L. Storch Memorial Garden Fund for the Townley South Playground project was fully in line with the original donation agreement. The fund continues to be well-managed, earning almost $1 Million in interest since 2018 which has helped support community beautification projects. Upon receiving grant reimbursement, the district will owe no further debts related to this project. This project was funded without asking for or receiving any donations.

Statement: KPD hired a referendum consultant, E.O. Sullivan, on a no-bid $45,000 contract to conduct a political campaign supporting the tax increase.

Response: This is misleading. The Kenilworth Park District obtained two proposals from experienced consulting firms, Beyond Your Base and E.O. Sullivan. The Park Board selected E.O. Sullivan for its expertise in administering comprehensive qualitative surveys and analysis and in tax consulting and their ability to assist with placing a question on the November ballot. The purpose of hiring a consultant was to ensure all legal requirements for placing a referendum on the November ballot were followed, including ensuring that all messaging was in strict adherence to election law. November was chosen as the election date to maximize voter turnout and allow more community members to voice their opinion, rather than waiting for a smaller turnout in the April 2025 election.

If you are interested in any further financial reporting, please visit our finance page.