Arlington Heights likely to ax Teen Center

Higher taxes, program eliminations and layoffs loom in Arlington Heights.

Meeting as a committee, the village board expressed support Monday for a new 3 percent tax on electric and natural gas usage, as well as a property tax increase of 5.74 percent in the fiscal year that begins in May.

The utility taxes would raise $2.5 million annually while costing the average user $90 in a year, the village said. The property tax increase would raise the average bill $47.

The village is facing a general fund deficit of $5.5 million in the current fiscal year and as much as $8.1 million in the next, according to a report from Tom Kuehne, finance director. Drops in sales and income taxes were cited as a chief cause.

Closing the Teen Center and laying off its two full time and three part-time staff members would save $378,400. Only Mayor Arlene Mulder voted against the closure, saying the center is "extremely valuable" to a "challenging group."

"If it were easy, other groups would be serving them," Mulder said.

Trustee Norman Breyer argued that only teens from the central part of the village use the center.

"The Teen Center is serving a very limited portion of the village. For residents north of Thomas or south of Central, it is not used," he said.

Trustee John Scaletta suggested the park district might be able to keep the center open or use the building.

Eliminating the Too Good for Drugs Program, which would save $237,600, was more controversial among trustees. They urged the village staff to see if school districts would be willing to fund at least part of the program. The two police officers who staff the program will be reassigned to patrol duties, said Village Manager Bill Dixon.

In total, 25 village staff positions would be eliminated under this plan, including 13 layoffs.

Monday's meeting was a committee of the whole, and the actions will be on the agenda for the regular meeting Dec. 7.

With the cuts, a deficit of more than $2 million remains this year, and even when the tax hikes are figured in, a $459,000 deficit is projected for the next fiscal year. These can be covered from reserves, which would still leave more than $16 million on hand, Kuehne said. That figure is 25 percent of the budget, and good financial standards caution the village from going below that percentage, he said.