DuPage approves $433.8 million budget for 2017

DuPage County Board members Tuesday approved a $433.8 million spending plan for fiscal 2017 that cuts spending and holds the line on property taxes.

"For the last six years of my administration, we have made a commitment to live within our means while offering the highest level of service to our residents without raising property taxes," county board Chairman Dan Cronin said in a written statement.

Officials said the 2017 budget, which takes effect Dec. 1, is roughly $10.6 million less than the current budget's approved amount of $444.4 million. Meanwhile, DuPage's property tax levy will remain flat at $66.9 million.

"Our fiscally conservative approach to budgeting has allowed us to keep property taxes flat for the last nine years," said county board member Paul Fichtner, who serves as chairman of the board's finance committee.

County government accounts for less than 3 percent of the property tax bill in DuPage, according to the county clerk's office. School districts constitute about 73 percent of the tax bill, and municipalities account for roughly 10 percent.

The owner of a $300,000 home pays about $197 a year in property taxes to the county.

DuPage can keep the property tax levy flat in part because its sales tax revenue is projected to increase slightly.

Officials said the budget takes into account potential reductions in state funding.

"While we have faced an uncertain budget scenario at the state level, our continuous efforts to find savings and innovate locally have served DuPage residents well," Fichtner said.

As part of the budget, an estimated $53.5 million has been set aside for capital improvements, including stormwater, drainage and road construction projects.

DuPage also will continue its fight against heroin. The budget allocates $100,000 to pay for initiatives, including doubling the number of "RxBox" safe medication disposal kiosks countywide.

The budget also includes $50,000 to create a new "Clean and Lien" program, which will remove, repair or demolish abandoned buildings on foreclosed properties. The goal is to make it possible for the land to be sold or developed.

To view the DuPage's 2017 budget document, visit dupageco.org/finance.