Rolling Meadows cuts its way to passable budget

In what Rolling Meadows' Mayor Ken Nelson called a “bitter pill to swallow,” the Rolling Meadows City Council approved its budget Tuesday after cuts, concessions, moving and borrowing that culminated in a 9.9 percent increase in dollars over the 2009 portion of the city's property tax levy.

Just last month city officials were facing a nearly $1.7 million deficit and considering the short-term loan paired with an approximate 12.8 percent increase over the 2009 dollars of the city's portion of its residents' property taxes.

The city was able to lower its initial draft percent of the property tax levy increase after approving the move of $250,000 from a road fund reserve to be divided equally among the city's police and fire pension obligations.

Also on the chopping block was a reduction in employee recognition funds from $12,000 to $4,000; the removal of an employee wellness program and employee flu shots, which cut a total of $4,750 from the city manager-approved budget; the removal of $35,000 for bike path improvements downtown; and the deletion of $6,500 toward employee blood draws.

Conversely, the council approved a 1 percent cost of living increase to all nonunion employees except for supervisors and department heads. Also approved was $10,000 toward controlling the city's feral and stray pet population a fund meant to help mitigate costs to spay, neuter and vaccinate stray and feral animals. The city's newsletter survived the cuts for now; the council agreed to survey its residents on how many people want the newsletter in a printed format before even considering moving it to an electronic-only format.

A proposal to increase nonunion employees' responsibility of insurance costs from 6, 9, or 12 percent (depending on the plan) to 10, 15, or 20 percent failed.

“We started with 20-30 percent and now we're down to under 10 percent (of the city's portion of the property tax increase,” Third Ward Alderman Larry Buske said of the 9.9 percent increase over the 2009 city portion of the property tax levy. “I think we've done a good job.”

Mayor Ken Nelson thanked police and fire unions for their concessions, as well as other city employees who will have to sacrifice due to the pared-down budget.

“I appreciate very much the fact that it's a bitter pill to swallow, but it's a necessary pill to swallow,” he said. “I appreciate that many people are shouldering this burden,” he added.