Manhattan Park Board Abates Bond Taxes, Authorizes Legal Intervention in Large Tax Appeals

Manhattan Park Board Meeting | February 12, 2026

Article Summary: The Manhattan Park District Board of Commissioners passed a resolution authorizing legal counsel to intervene in property tax appeals exceeding $100,000, while also approving a series of ordinances to abate property taxes levied for debt service on four separate bond issues.

Manhattan Park District Financial Key Points:

• The board unanimously approved Resolution 26-1, authorizing the law firm Tressler LLP to intervene in property tax assessment appeals.

• Interventions will only be authorized if a taxpayer seeks an assessment reduction equal to or greater than $100,000.

• Commissioners passed Ordinances 26-1 through 26-4, abating the 2025 taxes levied to pay debt service on the 2017, 2019, 2023, and 2025 series of General Obligation Park Bonds.

• All measures passed in 3-0 votes, as Vice President Kristy Byers and Treasurer Joe Farkas were absent.

The Manhattan Park District Board of Commissioners on Thursday, February 12, 2026, took significant steps to manage district revenues and debt, voting to abate taxes on multiple bond series and authorizing legal intervention against large-scale property tax appeals.

With only President Bridget Hope, Secretary Ed Ludwig, and Commissioner Nick Goodwin present, the board moved swiftly through the new business agenda, uniformly approving measures designed to protect the district’s financial base.

The most notable procedural change came with the approval of Resolution 26-1, which formally authorizes the law firm of Tressler LLP to file interventions in real property tax assessment proceedings on behalf of the Park District. According to the resolution’s text, the district relies heavily on property taxes to fund its services, and “any reduction in equalized assessed valuation can adversely affect Manhattan Park District’s revenues.”

To ensure the legal action is cost-effective, the resolution establishes a specific threshold: the district will only intervene if a taxpayer is seeking an assessment reduction equal to or greater than $100,000, and only after the district consults with Tressler LLP to determine if the intervention is warranted in that particular case. The resolution passed 3-0 following a motion by Goodwin and a second by Ludwig.

The board also handled its annual debt service procedures, passing four separate abatement ordinances. When the district issues General Obligation Alternate Revenue Source bonds, a property tax levy is automatically established to back them. However, if the district has sufficient alternative funds available to make the bond payments, the board can vote to abate—or cancel—that specific tax levy for the year so it is not passed on to taxpayers.

The board unanimously passed the following abatements for the 2025 tax year (payable in 2026):

• Ordinance 26-1: Abating the tax levied for the $700,000 Series 2017 bonds.

• Ordinance 26-2: Abating the tax levied for the $2,695,000 Series 2019 bonds.

• Ordinance 26-3: Abating the tax levied for the $1,000,000 Series 2023 bonds.

• Ordinance 26-4: Abating the tax levied for the $2,055,000 Series 2025 bonds.

All four ordinances were approved via 3-0 roll call votes, ensuring the county clerk will not extend those specific levies to Manhattan residents.