No new taxes or fees are recommended as part of Naperville’s proposed 2023 budget, according to city officials.
City Finance Director Rachel Mayer this week presented the Naperville City Council with a $603.3 million spending plan that includes expenses that are 12% higher than last year’s $540.6 million.
Revenues are projected to go up 6% to $588.5 million, in part because of post-pandemic economic recovery in state and municipal taxes.
Mayer said Naperville has seen growth in state-shared taxes, with retail sales tax revenue projected to be 11% higher than what was collected in 2022.
Local taxes, such as food and beverage and hotel and motel, are expected to rise by 30% and 51%, respectively, in the coming year.
The 2023 projections are based on actual revenue performance in 2022, which exceeded last year’s budget in most categories, Mayer said.
While expenses are increasing, the budget also takes into account growth in the city’s equalized assessed valuation, or EAV, from new development, which is allowing the city to maintain a low tax rate, she said in her presentation.
An estimated EAV growth of 2% would result in a property tax rate of 0.6875, she said, so the average homeowner would save about $8 on the city’s portion of their bill, assuming all other factors are equal.
The council’s budget discussions will continue Nov. 9 and 21 before the document is submitted for approved Dec. 6. The property tax levy and other special service area levies will be adopted by the council Dec. 20.
Nearly a quarter of the city’s budget — $140.2 million — is earmarked for capital improvement projects, an increase of 31% over last year.
Mayer said the work is necessary so the city can continue to keep up with new technology, fix aging assets, and invest in the city’s electric, transportation and water/wastewater infrastructure.
Some of the projects will include:
$16 million in plant capacity and process improvements at the Springbrook Water Reclamation Center;
$9.4 million for water main replacement projects in the Main Street and Porter Avenue area, on River Road from Raymond Drive to Aurora Avenue, and on 11th Avenue from Washington to Columbia streets;
$2 million for electric utility improvements at the Interstate 88 Tollway substation;
$350,000 for electric utility work at the Edward Hospital substation expansion.
The city also could include $9.1 million to move overhead power lines underground and add fiber optic communications in the city’s distribution automation network. Those projects are dependent on Naperville securing federal funds.
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New public safety equipment, technology and vehicle purchases are budgeted, including:
$2.76 million for computer-aided dispatch and records management system upgrades, part of a multiyear project to replace the city’s emergency response and communications systems;
$1.1 million for an ambulance and pumper approved by council in 2022 for delivery in 2023;
$1 million for public safety radio network project consulting and initial upgrades as part of a multiyear project;
$930,000 to replace 11 police vehicles and add two more for new personnel and special response unit needs;
$307,000 for a 10-year lease of cardiac monitors and auto pulses for emergency medical services to replace equipment twice over the next decade;
$110,000 for technology hardware to replace a police drone, in-car laptops and in-car printers;
$70,000 for crowd control equipment and ballistic helmets to protect police.
City departments also are requesting eight new positions, including two police sergeants, a police report specialist, an assistant planner, project engineer, engineering manager, deputy city attorney and assistant to the city manager.