Des Plaines leaders raise fees and taxes

Des Plaines aldermen after much discussion Monday night approved a $129.1 million budget for next year.

To help pay for the city's planned expenditures, they backed tax and fee increases.

Mayor Tony Arredia broke a tie vote in favor of the spending plan.

Third Ward Alderman Laura Murphy, 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman, 6th Ward Alderman Mark Walsten and 8th Ward Alderman Rosemary Argus opposed the plan. Instead, they asked the city to look at reducing spending rather than seeking tax increases.

The council voted to double the telecommunications tax from 3 percent to 6 percent, which would raise an extra $1.5 million every year. Aldermen also decided to create a sanitary sewer fee to bring the city $2.1 million next year. The fee would be 70 cents for each 100 cubic feet of water, or about $90 a year for the average Des Plaines homeowner.

Officials also agreed to increase the city's hotel tax from 5 percent to 7 percent, which will bring in about $450,000 extra a year.

A plan to increase the property tax instead of turning to the extra fees never emerged as a possibility Monday. City staffers estimated that property tax bills would have to increase by about 25 percent if the city collected the extra $4 million from the telecommunications and hotel tax increases, and sewer fee.

"I just believe this is too aggressive for these times," Argus said. "We are just trying to do too much."

Murphy said the new sewer fee will "irritate" residents.

But Arredia said new plans to replace fire stations and build a new police headquarters will cost extra money, so new revenue would have to be collected somehow.

"The easiest thing in the world is to say, 'No,'" Arredia said. "The hardest thing to do is to face facts."

Aldermen did vote against a plan to set aside $3.5 million to buy land in the Five Corners taxing district despite the plea of one business owner who wants to sell to the city.

Bruce Billmeyer, president of Stock Gears Inc., told aldermen he's "stuck" since the area is branded a redevelopment area. The council will discuss his request at a closed-door meeting early next year.

Resident Dan Allegretti questioned the tax increases and the plan to replace the police headquarters, calling it irresponsible in light of the economy.