Bartlett approves $48 million budget
The approval of a nearly $48.5 million budget by the Bartlett village board Tuesday means residents can say goodbye to vehicle stickers for the 2012-13 fiscal year, but they will also likely be greeted by new taxes.
The budget, which includes $37 million in operating expenditures, was passed by a 4-2 vote. It includes plans for the implementation of a gas utility tax that is estimated to generate over a million dollars in new revenue and an electric utility tax that is expected to generate $600,000 in new revenue.
Together, the taxes are expected to cost each household about $85 per year.
The board is expected to approve the ordinances necessary to implement the taxes at a board meeting on May 1.
Newly inducted trustee Patricia Kelly along with trustees Greg Martin, Eric Shipman and Dennis Nolan voted yes to the budget. Trustees Frank Napolitano and T.L. Arends voted no.
During a meeting on April 3 the board was given five options to address the village's budget issues. The first three options involved taking varying amounts of money from the general fund and developer deposits.
On Tuesday the board first voted on option three, which would have used $836,000 in general fund reserves and $350,000 in developer deposits. Napolitano was the only trustee to vote in favor of that option.
The next proposed budget that the board voted on and ultimately approved was called option four.
“It takes our reliance off our reserves and transfer from developer deposits and it balances our budget,” said finance director Jeff Martynowicz of option four. “This is something that does put us in a good financial position.”
Both Martynowicz and village administrator Valerie Salmons said they would recommend option four, and that option three wouldn't fare well in the long-term.
Mayor Michael Airdo added that he really liked how option four would get rid of vehicle stickers for at least a year.
“I do think that the elimination of the vehicle stickers should cause people to run out of their houses and yell in the streets,” he said, adding that he thought they were problematic and caused “tremendous grief” for a lot of residents.
In recent weeks of budget discussions the board had also considered whether to continue donating $12,000 to a meals on wheels program provided by the DuPage Senior Citizen Council that serves 35 residents.
The issue was voted on separately Tuesday and approved by a 4-2 vote. Napolitano and Arends voted no.