The official estimate for St. Charles’ 2025 tax levy was passed by City Council Nov. 3. Here’e a look at how it will hit your pocketbooks and help fund the city.

The general purposes proposed levy features a 3.99% increase over last year’s total levy extension. This increases the levy from last year’s almost $14.9 million amount to about $15.4 million.

The next step is a public hearing to be held at the St. Charles Municipal Center on Dec. 1. After the hearing, the City Council is scheduled to vote on full approval of the tax levy ordinance.

Bill Hannah, director of finance, said the owner of a $400,000 house should see about a $24 a year increase on the portion of their property tax bill that goes to the city. That’s typically about 10% of the overall tax bill.

“The increase in the levy is primarily to fund increased fire and police pension obligations, and to help fund, because of inflation in recent years, the increasing cost of providing high-quality services to the citizens,” Hannah said.

Over the past four years, the average Consumer Price Index inflation rate has been 4.95%, according to Hannah. For 2024, that rate dipped to a 2.9% increase.

The police pension fund contribution from the levy is increasing by almost $30,000 to slightly over $4.5 million total. The firefighter’s pension fund contribution from the levy is increasing nearly $236,000 to roughly $3.2 million, according to city documents.

In total, property taxes comprise around 24% of the city’s budgeted revenues for the general fund, according to city documents.

Hannah said the increase in the tax levy will help fund the city’s services and maintain core operations.