City Council to give full focus to 2027 budget at special Monday meeting

Evanston’s City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers at Morton City Hall, 909 Davis St., for a special budget-focused meeting featuring a second public hearing on a proposed property tax increase and discussions of the proposed 2027 budget s full ordinances. The council typically books this early November meeting to hold a Truth in Taxation public hearing, which state law requires holding when a city proposes raising its property tax levy by more than 5% over the previous year. Unlike public school districts and other local governments, home rule cities like Evanston aren t restricted in how much they can raise property taxes year-over-year, meaning larger single-year hikes are allowed. City Manager Luke Stowe s budget proposal would raise the city s total levy by 8.9%, about $5.6 million, between both the city levies and the separately-budgeted library levy. Excluding the library, the city s levy would rise by 10%, with the extra money going to the Parks