For the eighth consecutive year, DuPage County Board chairman Dan Cronin presented a balanced budget that does not increase the County’s portion of the property tax levy.
“This has been the toughest budget I’ve had to present,” Cronin said. “For eight years, we’ve continually done more with less, and cut government spending, while still meeting our service obligations. Any further cuts, and we will hit bone,” Cronin said.
The total budget is $433.8 Million, down $5.8 Million from the previous fiscal year, and $43.9 Million less than Fiscal Year 2011, chairman Cronin’s first year in office. The proposed property tax rate remains flat at $66.9 Million for the 11th straight year. The total full-time headcount is 2,167, which is down from 2,270 in FY 2011.
Due to fluctuating sales tax revenues and increasing personnel costs, the proposed budget calls for 10% cuts to the DuPage Care Center subsidy, Stormwater Management Department, and the Human Services Grant Fund, in addition to department-wide cuts of one percent from salary lines.
“These are challenging times and every year we are confronted with a new set of difficult circumstances,” Cronin said. “I want to commend our team for overcoming these challenges and working together to create a balanced budget.”
DuPage County is AAA bond rated and boasts a 3.3% unemployment rate.
—DuPage County