Martin Lyons, chief financial officer for the city of Aurora government, answers Aurora City Council members’ questions at a special City Council meeting Monday at City Hall. Mayor Richard Irvin called the special City Council meetings for the adoption of two tax levies. There were no speakers at either City of Aurora 2019 tax levy or City of Aurora Library 2019 tax levy public hearings Monday. The City’s tax levy increase is 4.16% above the 2018 increase. The Aurora Public Library’s tax levy increase is 22.72% above the 2018 increase. Recently, the Aurora Public Library Board unanimously voted to become an independent library district and asked the City administration to pass a resolution to provide funds for the Library to be a part of the district format. If a library board and city council approve moving to a district, there is no need for a referendum. Lyons said it’s the Library’s goal of moving to a district and not be supported by the City’s general operating fund. He said the tax increase in library district would be $35 for an average household in Aurora and if the Library stayed in the municipal, the increase would be $32 per average household.Jason Crane/The Voice
