New Library Building to Cost Estimated $21 Million

Residents in the Shorewood-Troy Library District will have to vote in April whether or not they want to see their taxes go up for the purpose of building a new library. The referendum question will be as follows:

Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limit Law for the Shorewood-Troy Public Library District, Will County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to .4164 percent above the limiting rate for any purpose of said Library District for levy year 2011 and be equal to .56 percent of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2013?

Board meetings voted on Jan. 11 to place the question on the ballot.

The proposed library will be located near the Shorewood Village Hall. It will be an estimated 47,500 square feet. The estimated total cost for the new building, which includes the cost of construction, furniture, fixtures and fees, is $21 million.

The library has maintained it does not have enough room in its current building. They have hosted a number of meetings to get feedback from residents.

"We didn’t really hear any anger or upset about the tax law," Shorewood-Troy Library Director Jennie Mills said in the Patch Dec. 13 story.

The total cost of the building was not known until after Jan. 10.

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