There’s a small piece of Evanston that lies in the Skokie Park District, and a group of residents there is petitioning to get out.
According to a report in the Skokie News, the area that is threatening to secede is bounded by Central Street, Crawford Avenue, Greeley Avenue, and Old Orchard Road and includes 180 properties. More than half the residents there have signed a petition to disconnect from the Skokie district.
The report quotes the district’s business manager as estimating that the Evanstonians pay about $77,000 a year in taxes to the Skokie district.
The leader of the group says the petitioners contend that supporting Evanston’s parks via their city taxes amounts to double taxation for park services.
The Skokie Park District is not the only one receiving tax money from Evanstonians, as residents in south Evanston pay taxes to the Ridgeville Park District, whose annual budget is $621,000, and northeast Evanston taxpayers support the Lighthouse Park District, whose budget is $115,000.
The Skokie Park District recently imposed a $20 annual fee for non-residents to use the walking track at the Weber Leisure Center at Church Street and Gross Point Road that was formerly free to all.
Skokie’s park board is expected to vote on the disconnection issue next month.