Small tax hike part of Arlington Heights levy, budget plan
Arlington Heights' proposed 2016 property tax levy will hit residents with a small tax hike next year to cover the costs of a $2.7 million increase in street infrastructure spending.
The levy is part of the village's proposed $180.35 million budget for 2017, a $15.6 million increase over this year's plan. Most of the additional spending stems from a $32.9 million bond sale earlier this year to finance construction of a new police station.
Village trustees are expected to vote on the proposals in December.
The levy - the amount of tax dollars the village will collect from property owners - is about 1.4 percent higher than that collected this year. For owners of a $300,000 home, that will mean an increase of about $19 on the village's portion of their 2017 property tax bills, officials say.
Village Manager Randy Recklaus said all the additional money raised through the levy hike will fund infrastructure improvements.
"We've increased our road program 47 percent over two years. We're in the midst of a sixfold increase in our water main replacement program," Recklaus said. "We've heard from our residents, and the village board has decided to make (infrastructure) a priority."
Projected revenues in the 2017 budget are about $161.4 million, nearly $19 million less than expenditures, largely because of the police station costs. However, Recklaus said, the operations portion of the budget is balanced and the village is paying for the police station without a tax increase.
Work on the new station, estimated to cost $27.9 million overall, is expected to begin in June or July next year and be complete about 18 months later.
The new facility will be a two-level, 70,500-square-foot building with a basement and a 10,000-square-foot indoor garage for police vehicles. It will be on the site of the existing station, at 200 E. Sigwalt St.
Besides construction costs, the $32.9 million bond sale authorized by the village board in January will cover architectural and engineering expenses, parking lot improvements and the costs of renting a temporary police station and demolishing the current facility, which dates back to 1979.
Other major capital expenses in the 1017 budget include:
• $6.1 million for the Street Resurfacing Program.
• $1.8 million for the Street Rehabilitation Program.
• $1.55 million for flood control projects, including neighborhood drainage improvements and creation of a detention area associated with the construction of the new police station.
In the spring, the village board plans to prioritize potential stormwater control projects and develop a multiyear schedule of approved projects for inclusion in the 2018-2022 Capital Improvement Plan.
The village will add one new staff position in 2017, with the anticipated hire of an assistant planner. That person's work previously had been outsourced. The hire will add $16,000 to the Planning and Community Development Department's 2017 budget.
Officials note that even with the addition, the village has 44 fewer employees than in the 2009 fiscal year.
The village board's review of the proposed budget will begin at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, in the board room on the third floor of village hall, 33 S. Arlington Heights Road. A second meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the same location. If needed, a third meeting will be held Nov. 17.
Residents with questions about the budget can email budget@vah.com. Answers to questions emailed by Nov. 6 will be posted on the village's website on Nov. 11.
To view the proposed budget, visit www.vah.com/assets/1/budget_and_financials/PROPOSED_2017_Budget.pdf. To review budget variances by department, visit www.vah.com/assets/1/budget_and_financials/2017_Budget_Variance_Explanations.pdf.