Will County Executive Larry Walsh Presents Budget for 2018
“I am proud this year’s budget meets all of our debt obligations, contributes additional dollars towards our Other Post-Employment Benefits fund, and dedicates funding for Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund accelerated payments,” Walsh said. “Will County continues to be fiscally responsible with our taxpayer dollars and ensuring we are providing the highest quality services while also maintaining a strong cash reserve in our corporate budget.”
The budget proposed by Walsh is in direct response to the budget issues in the state and reflects a projected revenue decrease of $2.4 million. The corporate fund, which funds the general operation of the Will County government will have a $197 million fund and the special fund, which is reserved of specific purposes, will have a budget of $354 million. Walsh also proposed $2.1 million towards new property development and $1 million towards the Consumer Price Index. However, with all these figures included, Will County may still have a tax rate that is 1.5% lower than that of 2016.
In addition, Walsh also proposed dissolving the Public Building Commission, as much of the maintenance staff had been previously consolidated. This would cause the county board to have a more direct oversight into the construction of the Public Safety Complex and new Courthouse. Walsh stated that this move would not only lead to more transparency between the local government and the general public but would remove a line item from the residents’ tax bill.
“We are proud of the good work of the PBC members and staff on important projects such as the River Valley Justice Center and the ADF (Adult Detention Facility),” Walsh said. “I thank them for their service but it is time to move forward in eliminating duplicative services and improve our efficiency.”
The budget will continue on to be approved by the Will County Board, who has 60 days from the proposal to approve it before the start of the new fiscal year on December 1, 2017.
Click here to see the full press release published by the Office of Will County Executive Lawrence M. Walsh.
