Northwest suburban homeowners could soon be asked to shoulder another massive property tax hike.

High School District 214 has begun gauging public support for roughly $850 million in renovations planned across seven facilities, including six high schools.

You read that correctly. Within sight of a billion dollars. These aren’t new schools. They’re renovations. 

Sure, government construction is expensive. This is Illinois, after all. But to show the scale of this proposal, it’s worth noting that 311 S. Wacker Drive, one of Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers, sold for $45 million earlier this year.

And it’s also worth noting that the district is weighing this property tax hike as the Chicago Bears — whose proposed Arlington Heights stadium site falls partly within District 214 — are demanding property tax certainty.

An $850 million ask is a jaw-dropping figure for anyone who owns a home in District 214 suburbs, which include all or part of Arlington Heights, Wheeling, Elk Grove Village, Buffalo Grove, Mount Prospect and Rolling Meadows. Many folks have come to view this part of Cook County as one of the last affordable places to buy if you want to live and work in or near the city, but rising property taxes are crushing that reputation. 

No question that Prospect High School and John Hersey High School are likely in need of some love — that’s normal and to be expected. But taxpayers in this district are wondering why these projects are so expensive.

The district paints a picture of decrepit, crumbling schools that cannot keep students safe, warm and dry. 

So, then, we have to ask … where has all of that property tax money been going?

There’s some sort of disconnect here between the exorbitant bills local folks are paying and the conditions of their schools. District 214 is projected to end the 2025-2026 school year with approximately $170 million in reserves — about 47% of its annual budget, according to a district spokesperson. The district says it needs to keep sizable reserves to guard against late property tax payments from Cook County (which are indeed a thing) and to avoid costly short-term borrowing. A cushion is prudent. But that’s half a year’s budget sitting in the bank. If health and safety issues truly exist, it would make sense to tap these funds now. 

We find this argument, included in a district presentation, particularly unconvincing:

“Many of our standard classrooms look the same as they looked 30 years ago, with rows of archaic desks, old carpets and lights and dreary paint.” 

This is also the case in many of the homes paying District 214’s bills. We’d all love to invest in a facelift, but if you pump folks for more of their hard-earned money, nobody can afford it. Not when the facelift is $850 million. 

Another presentation notes that “our youngest building is 52 years old, with our oldest built in 1957.” OK, but many of the homes in the district are the same age, and with responsible maintenance they’re still standing just fine. 

Remember, this potential tax hike is coming on the heels of some truly painful property tax increases for schools in contiguous districts, the full reality of which has not yet been realized.

For example, Mount Prospect School District 57 approved last year an $85 million referendum that is expected to increase the annual property tax by approximately $714 per year for a homeowner with a modest $375,000 home value. Many family homes in that area are worth well over that value, and so the tax hike will be even higher. This money will go primarily toward a new building for a middle school that currently has about 750 students enrolled. District 57 will also get full-day kindergarten as part of the deal. 

Many Mount Prospect homeowners are already paying well over $10,000 in property taxes for a house. Now they could be facing hundreds or even thousands more.

We fear this once relatively affordable part of the ‘burbs is quickly barreling toward becoming another unaffordable place to live, icing out lower- and middle-class families who’ve traditionally flocked there for good education and safe neighborhoods.

District 214 should read the room. We’re in an uncertain economy, property taxes continue to skyrocket, and people are worried about affording the basics.

We’re sympathetic to the desire to give kids good educational facilities, which is one of the things that draws families to the suburbs in the first place. We respect that District 214 hasn’t gone to a referendum in over 50 years. 

But that restraint doesn’t excuse this excessive level of an ask.

If districts keep chasing bigger and costlier projects, the families who built these communities won’t be able to stay, and many prospective families won’t be able to move to these communities, either.

Even the Chicago Bears are asking for a break from punishing property taxes. Homeowners deserve the same consideration.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.