Carol Stream may boost sales tax, cut Town Square programs

Carol Stream residents will be asked to pay a little more this year as officials try to make up a $2.69 million budget deficit.

The village board tentatively has approved plans to move forward on a 0.25-percentage-point sales tax increase as well as a $3-per-month increase for stormwater fees. The board still must vote on the changes.

Revenues in just about every major category decreased dramatically last year, Village Manager Joe Breinig said.

"It's fairly unusual," he said. "This is the closest we've been in terms of a general collapse of all parts of the economy."

Officials expect the tax and stormwater fee changes to reduce the budget gap by $1.45 million. Breinig said the resulting 8 percent overall sales tax should not be too much of a detriment to business in Carol Stream because other towns - such as Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and Glendale Heights - already have a 8.25 percent tax.

The tax will not apply to food, drugs or automobiles.

Breinig said several other measures will bring the deficit to around $360,000.

"We can't do it all in revenue or expenditures," he said. "We wanted to come up with a middle ground."

At least for now, the proposals have put off talk of further layoffs or the village's first property tax levy in its 50-year history, which have been at the center of past discussions.

Instead, the village will eliminate an employee recognition program and a development study planned for the intersection of North Avenue and County Farm Road. The village also will delay the purchase of a second street sweeper at a cost of $200,000.

Earlier this month, officials rolled out a buyout plan, which Breinig and Finance Director Stan Helgerson say will save the village about $400,000. They say 11 employees have expressed preliminary interest.

In addition, the village will eliminate all Town Center activities except for the park district's Fourth of July fireworks and Thursday Night Concerts, which will continue as sponsored events.

Village President Frank Saverino said he would volunteer to sponsor two concerts at a cost of roughly $1,400 each, while area businesses have already pledged sponsorship of six others.

"I don't want to see the Thursday nights go," Saverino said. "The Town Center is the heart and soul of Carol Stream."