The Lake County Board has overwhelmingly approved a $503 million budget for next year, choosing to un-freeze the county’s property tax levy due to uncertainty stemming from Springfield.
The budget was approved as proposed — no changes were made during Tuesday’s meeting, according to Jennie Vana, the county’s communications manager.
“It is a balanced, sustainable budget,” said Mike Rummel, chair of the board’s finance committee, during the budget hearing.
The budget’s $326 million operating fund — which doesn’t include debt service, certain public works dollars or internal funds like health insurance — remains flat compared to the current year’s budget, with an increase of less than 1 percent. The overall budget’s growth was similarly modest at less than 2 percent.
Preparation of the spending plan was marked by a request from the County Board that all departments cut 2 percent or more from their budget requests in the wake of uncertainty resulting from the state budget stalemate in Springfield, Rummel said.
“While they (the state) saddle us with a number of unfunded mandates and new things to pay for, they have not lifted one responsibility that we have,” Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor said during the hearing.
That’s one of the reasons, Lawlor said, that the county is increasing its share of the property tax levy, a departure from the board’s decision last year to freeze it. It’s a relatively small increase — it will raise $1 million total across the county, or an extra $3 to $5 annually for the owner of a $250,000 home, according to county Finance Director Gary Gordon.
Lawlor anticipated the need to guard against cuts in the county’s state funding once lawmakers come to a budget agreement in Springfield.
“While I do not revel in the idea” of increasing the levy, Lawlor said, “I think it is important.”
Outgoing board member Bonnie Thomson Carter, who represents Fox Lake, agreed.
“For us to know what’s ahead of us — what could be ahead of us — with the state right now, I think we are foolish not to take what we should be taking,” Carter said.
Interestingly, Judy Martini — who would replace Carter on the 21-member board if unofficial vote totals from Election Day hold up — said Friday she disagreed with the board’s decision.
“We should follow the lead of other counties to freeze that levy,” Martini said. “If that means we have to cut costs somewhere, then we have to do that.” She acknowledged that the increase to the levy was small but noted it adds up if every taxing jurisdiction makes the same decision.
Before the vote, board members Sandra Hart (District 13) and Steven Mandel (District 11) voiced similar concerns, announcing they would vote against the budget because of their opposition to increasing the tax levy.
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“As you look out there today and listen to the anger of the residents, it doesn’t go by me very easily,” Mandel said.
Mandel is set to depart the board, as well, and Paul Frank, who would replace him if unofficial vote totals hold, said he supported Mandel’s position.
“I’m against an increase in the county’s property tax rate at this time,” Frank said Friday.
Terry Wilke (District 16) also voted against the budget.
Transportation projects
In a news release, the county updated the status of three area transportation projects. One is complete, one is nearly done and another is slated to finish next year.
Lake County’s joint project with the Village of Mundelein to completely reconstruct Hawley Street is finished, the county said. The project resulted in a new water main and sanitary sewer, upgraded traffic signals, a new sidewalk and a bike path.
The resurfacing of Ela Road from Route 22 to Cuba Road is “nearly complete,” the county said. That project includes a new sidewalk, as well, and added bike-friendly shoulders. Additional landscaping work is set to wrap up soon.
Finally, county crews plan to finish the east retaining wall on the $35 million Washington Street underpass project at the Canadian National Railway tracks in Grayslake before the winter. That leaves only the structural work on the north side left to complete. There are no more road closures planned for the project, according to the release.
The county plans to shut down the project during the winter and pick back up in the spring.
Political makeup of board unchanged
If unofficial vote totals hold up, it looks like the political makeup of the Lake County Board — at least by party affiliation — will remain unchanged next year.
Both Mandel and his replacement, Frank, are Democrats. Carter and Martini are both Republicans.
All other members of the board up for election were either fending off their challengers, unofficial vote totals showed, or running unopposed.
Before the election, there were seven Democrats on the County Board and 14 Republicans.
Twitter @lucashammill