Springfield residents will see a modest reduction in their property‑tax levy rate as Sangamon County adopts its fiscal year 2027 budget, according to County Administrator Brian McFadden speaking to the County Board on Tuesday night. The $206 million spending plan is five percent lower than the previous year, reflecting the use of bond proceeds, other capital funds, and reserves built up for one‑time capital projects, McFadden explained.

While the overall budget shrinks, several county departments will receive increased funding. McFadden highlighted that the fiscal year 2026 budget had been more than 35 percent higher than the year before, a spike driven by infrastructure projects that are now largely completed. “That reflects the expenditure of bond proceeds and other capital funds, where reserves were built up over a period of time, specifically to be spent on one‑time items, primarily capital projects,” he said.

The most notable aspect of the FY 2027 plan is the property‑tax levy rate, which McFadden said will be the fifth year in a row the rate declines. “That’s pretty unprecedented. We haven’t seen that here at the county level in quite some time,” he noted, adding that few other taxing bodies in the county have achieved a five‑year streak of rate reductions.

McFadden cautioned that the lower levy rate does not guarantee a lower bill for every homeowner. The county’s levy accounts for only ten percent of the average property‑tax bill, and new construction or rising property values could still cause modest increases for some residents. However, any such rise would represent a small portion of the overall bill.

Another factor that could affect local tax revenue is the expiration of the North End Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district in Springfield. The TIF is set to expire in FY 27, and the county will recapture the property‑tax revenue that previously flowed into the district. “We will be able to recapture property tax revenue that will no longer go into the TIF and will now come back to the taxing bodies, primarily the schools,” McFadden said.

The county’s annual property‑tax levy request will be placed on the ballot in December, giving voters a direct say on the final levy amount. Residents are encouraged to review the budget details, available in a PDF linked by Capitol City Now, before the December vote.

What’s next: The County Board will present the levy request to the public in December, and voters will decide whether to approve the proposed property‑tax rate. The North End TIF’s expiration will also be monitored as its revenue returns to local schools and other taxing bodies.

Sources: capitolcitynow.com