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County Budget & Sales Tax Repeal
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As part of the Cook County budget process, the Board of Commissioners approved a plan to complete the repeal of the sales tax increase. The remaining 0.5% will be phased out over the next two years, with a 0.25% reduction effective January 1, 2012 and the final 0.25% eliminated as of January 1, 2013. Commissioner Goslin is eager to realize the efficiencies and cost-savings that will make this plan a reality and relieve suburban businesses and taxpayers of this unnecessary burden.
The FY2011 County Budget is a step in the right direction, with no tax increase and no additional debt. The budget was unanimously approved by the County Board after a marathon 19-hour session, which began on the morning of Friday, February 25th at 9:00am and ended just after 4:20 a.m. on Saturday.
The approved budget addresses the $487 million deficit resulting from the partial repeal of the sales tax increase in July 2010. An average reduction of approximately 15% in general and special fund operations was taken across the entire county, with county workers required to take 5 furlough days and an additional 5 countywide shutdown days for non-vital services this year. Comprehensive desk audits will be completed throughout 2011 and should help to indicate areas where future reductions can be realized with little to no impact on county services.
Additionally, Commissioner Goslin is working on realizing efficiencies through efforts such as centralizing county technology and utilizing car-sharing in place of county vehicles for eligible departments.
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Forest Preserve FY2011 Budget
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As chair of the Forest Preserve Finance Committee, Commissioner Goslin held two public hearings to invite public comment on the proposed FY2011 FPD Budget. Public speakers at both hearings voiced overwhelmingly positive opinions of both FPD operations and the proposed budget. In the coming year, the District will work to continue deserving such accolades with efforts to increase employee training, expand educational programming and maintain & improve conditions of FPD land.
The Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners approved a balanced FY2011 Budget at last Wednesday's Special FPD Board Meeting. The budget includes no tax increases or borrowing and increases funding for land acquisition efforts.
The total appropriation for FY2011 is $160.2 million. This includes:
- $57.1 million District operating budget
- $14.88 million for Brookfield Zoo
- $9.35 million for the Chicago Botanic Garden
- $4.5 million for the land acquisition fund
For more information on the Forest Preserve District Budget, please visit the FPD website.
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