McHenry County Board green lights levy increase

The McHenry County Board has given the county administrator the green light to proceed with a 1.5-percent increase in the 2011 property tax levy.

That would amount to about $6 extra per homeowner, and would yield almost $1.2 million in revenues to the county, officials said.

McHenry County traditionally has increased raised its tax levy by the cost of living, County Administrator Peter Austin said at a special committee of the whole meeting on Friday. Without that money, the county would have had to forego some expenses and incur “significant” cuts, he added.

The levy increase was approved by board members 14-5 in an informal straw poll.

Board member Ersel Schuster was among those who opposed the increase. “I haven’t heard anyone talking about ways we can reduce the size of this county government,” Schuster said.

She suggested re-examining the number of employees at the county administration complex in Woodstock and reconsidering accepting grants that require additional personnel expenses.

Board members Nick Provenzano, Diane Evertsen, John Hammerand and James Heisler also opposed the levy increase.

Austin presented a budget for fiscal year 2011-2012 that included dipping into the county’s $47.5 million reserves to fund about $1.7 million in bond payments. “I don’t take it lightly,” Austin said about funding debt with cash reserves.

The draft budget accounts for a $557,000 surplus in the $84 million general fund, which Austin said could be used for new, needed expenses including stormwater inspections, an increase in the county’s board of review funding, two court security officers, two court administration support staff, and more.

Austin pointed out that next year’s projected increases in health insurance costs amount to about $960,000, Austin said. “That is eating up almost all of” the $1.2 million additional tax levy revenues, he added.

The proposed budget will be reviewed by the finance and audit committee on Tuesday, and is expected to be on display for the public beginning Oct. 18.