Tinley Park released its budget draft last week, projecting a $2.18 million surplus at the end of next fiscal year, according to budget documents.
The village projects spending to increase by $7.3 million and revenue to increase by $11.8 million compared to the previous year. This represents about $82.1 million in expenditures and about $84.3 million in revenue for fiscal year 2027.
The 2026 fiscal year ends April 30, and is projected to end with a $2.62 million surplus, said Scott Bordui, interim finance director.
Bordui said the year ended well and complimented his predecessor, Hannah Lipman, Village Manager Pat Carr, Mayor Michael Glotz and the Village Board for being proactive in making financial decisions.
Bordui said personnel and health insurance benefit increases fueled the spending increases. He attributed the village’s additional revenue to the tax changes that began Jan. 1 and tax levy changes.
Trustee Ken Shaw said in December 2025 that post employment health insurance benefits were one of the village’s fastest rising costs. The village spent just over $1 million on the benefits this fiscal year, compared to spending about $614,000 in fiscal 2023, according to budget documents.
Due to these concerns and other rising costs, the village increased its property tax by 3.8% in December, which took affect Jan. 1, 2026. This represented the village’s first increase on the tax since 2022.
The levy increase also included $5.74 million for the Tinley Park Police Pension Fund Board, a 4.9% increase over last year.
Tinley Park also increased a sales tax and an amusement tax in June that largely fell on concertgoers. The home-rule sales tax, now at 0.75%, will increase to 1% and the amusement tax, now at 5%, will increase to 6%.
These hikes took effect Jan. 1.
Funds
The Village Board voted Tuesday to changed its contract for a bulk fuel purchase due to high oil and gas prices. The village’s contract with Al Warren Oil Company Inc. was changed from one year to six months.
“Obviously fuel and petroleum right now is kind of a heated topic,” said Public Works Director John Urbanski. “Hopefully we’re going to see after six months maybe some of the price can go down, and we have the opportunity to resign it for a lower price.”
Urbanski said this year’s contract price went up by about $1 per gallon of unleaded and diesel fuel compared to last year. He said the price ranges for the contract are $3.15 to $3.25 per gallon for unleaded fuel and $3.75 to $3.85 per gallon of diesel.
Urbanski said these prices are cheaper than gas stations because the village gets a bulk purchase price.
Bordui stated the village’s enterprise funds are healthy from an operating standpoint.
The Main Street North TIF expired in 2025, and a fund balance of $3.5 million was transferred to the New Bremen TIF under the proposed 2027 budget.
Expenditures
The budget draft proposed a few main funding changes.
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The village plans to decrease its capital improvements fund spending by $1.6 million, from $26.5 million in 2026 to $24.9 million in 2027.
The village also plans to spend $2.4 million on new personnel this year, paid out of the general fund.
The village proposed to use funds from the hotel tax debt service reserve to fund improvements and parking lot construction at the Tinley Park Convention Center.
The staff recommended spending $46.5 million on 112 capital requests, out of the 149 total submitted requests that would have cost about $62.7 million.
Bordui said the capital project fund balance, at around $69.4 million, leaves the village in a good place to fund capital projects beyond the 2027 fiscal year.
“We always want to make sure we’re not overextending ourselves in one year,” he said.
Overall, Tinley Park’s budgeted revenues have increased by about $9.6 million since fiscal year 2024. Spending has increased by about $11.8 million since fiscal year 2024, according to budget documents.
The village will hold a public hearing on the budget hearing at 5:55 p.m. on April 21 at Village Hall, 16250 Oak Park Ave., just before the Village Board meeting when the budget will be up for adoption.