Buffalo Grove approves 3.1% levy increase; dissent over golf subsidy

Buffalo Grove Trustee Jeffrey Berman was the only vote against a 3.1 percent increase in the tax levy Monday night.

The board's senior trustee cited concerns about the continued subsidy to the village's golf enterprise fund.

Trustees passed a balanced budget that calls for $75 million in expenses and $79 million in revenue.

"At first blush that appears to be a surplus," said Finance Director Scott Anderson. "Those are dollars that are allocated to our pension funds for future pension obligations."

The village will collect $16 million in taxes next year after abating $650,000 in taxes collected for debt service.

"We're really in a defensive posture, as this 3 percent increase in our tax levy for public safety is only funding about 50 percent of the revenue that we lost to Springfield," Anderson said. He pointed to a 10 percent reduction in the amount of income tax sent back to municipalities and a new administrative fee of 2 percent the state applied to the home rule sales tax.

While generally praising the staff's work on the budget, Berman said, "There is no disputing the fact that we are committing to yet again hundreds of thousands of dollars in subsidy to a flailing enterprise, with likely millions more in store in the future."

For 2018, fee revenue totaling $2.3 million is expected from operations at both golf courses. Revenue remains less than the pre-recession peak by approximately $130,000 annually. Operating transfers to the courses totaling $300,000 are budgeted to balance the fund.