Buffalo Grove tax levy up about 10 percent

The Buffalo Grove village board set the 2007 tax levy earlier this week -- up about 10 percent from this year's -- and had a look at next year's budget, which is the first full-year budget on the village's new calendar cycle.

The village switched its fiscal cycle earlier this year, so the board had already approved in the spring a budget that ran from May through December 2007.

The 2008 budget shows about $58 million in revenue and $57 million in expenditures.

Village Manager Bill Brimm said this week that this past year has been tough with a foundering economy; the sales and real-estate transfer taxes have suffered as a consequence.

The budget shows about $1.7 million for capital projects, including improvements to the public service center and fire station No. 26.

The village also may be spending $3.2 million on road improvements, including finishing the lighting on Dundee Road and improving Route 22 and Prairie roads.

Brimm said the year was also one of the worst for the village's two golf courses. While it started out well, he said, rains in August caused play levels to go down.

However, he said the village has done a good job of controlling employee insurance trends.

The village is also using some of its reserve money in this year's budget to prevent having to go to residents for the additional costs.

The proposed levy for 2007 is $12,757,780, compared to $11,565,123 for 2006.

The village is expected to approve the final version of the budget at its next meeting.