Schillerstrom lays out final DuPage Co. budget plan

After getting the DuPage County Board to approve a $70 million capital improvement borrowing plan last week, Chairman Bob Schillerstrom Tuesday unveiled his $460 million spending plan for next year.

"we are doing more with less, which is what individuals and businesses have been doing across the country," Schillerstrom said.

The balanced budget proposal is $5.4 million below last year's spending plan and calls for no property tax increase or program funding cuts. Most of that reduction comes from eliminating 38 vacant full-time positions. Those savings will be utilized to help fund the new capital improvement debt.

With the budget, Schilerstrom gave a 30-minute speech that focused on some of the board's accomplishments during the past several years, which included increased transparency and support of the county's Convalescent Center, which Schillerstrom called the county's crown jewel.

For the second consecutive year the budget also contains no raises for most county employees. However, union workers and sheriff's office employees will receive some raises as part of their contracts.

Seven sheriff's posts, six jobs in probation, five information technology positions and eight youth home jobs were among the positions eliminated.

The cuts will not affect residents at all, Schillerstrom said.

"They were surgical cuts across the county so no one feels any reduction in services," he said. "We will be able to continue to provide the same programs from 2010 into 2011."

In addition, Schillerstrom urged other elected county leaders to hold off hiring any new employees until the start of the new year.

"At that time, the state's new pension law will go into effect and the county will be able to take advantage of the long-term savings offered by the new pension system," he said.

The budget will now pass through three public meetings and the county will receive public input at least through November in various hearings and meetings.

"We have been working for many years to be open and more transparent throughout the legislative process," said District 2 county board representative Brien Sheahan. "With this budget, we are seeing the fruits of those labors."

Sheahan said the string of "healthy budgets" puts the county in a good position for the future, as it prepares to welcome a new chair next year.

"That's not to say we won't have some budget issues in the future," he said. "But we're in good shape to respond to those and address the critical needs of the county."

This is Schillerstrom's final budget proposal after 12 years at the helm of county government.

"I don't own the position, I'm just passing through it," he said. "It's good for the county to get someone in here with new ideas."

Schillerstrom chose to run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination rather than seek re-election. He abandoned the bid shortly before the primary. Voters will decide Nov. 2 who will be the next chairman between Republican state Sen. Dan Cronin or Democrat Carole Cheney.

The three town hall meetings to receive feedback on the budget proposal start next week. The meetings will be held Sept. 22 in Westmont, Sept. 23 Addison and Sept. 28 in West Chicago.

• Staff writer Marco Santana contributed to this report