2010 Kane County budget requests go the wrong way: higher

Kane County will try to balance the 2010 budget with a method that didn't fully work with the 2009 budget.

The county's Judicial and Public Safety Committee clashed with County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay Tuesday. Department heads reporting to the committee recently submitted 2010 budget requests that represent a 12.1 percent increase over the 2009 amended budget.

In other words, the nine county departments that report to the committee asked for more money, as a group, than they received even before they were forced to cut their budgets in 2009.

That idea didn't go over too well with McConnaughay, who delivered the message that the county's tax income in 2010 isn't going to be any better than it was in 2009.

Indeed, the county must cut another 4.5 percent on top of the cuts made in 2009 if it wants to balance the budget. This time, the cut won't necessarily be unilateral in all departments. Still, the 4.5 percent represents about another $3 million that must be trimmed.

State's Attorney John Barsanti and Sheriff Pat Perez then informed the committee their 2010 budget request came with the belief that the budget would be the same as 2009's and no additional cut would be needed. With that in mind, some department heads put positions they are currently leaving unfilled back in the budget for 2010.

Both said they can cut more from their budgets now that they know another cut is needed.

McConnaughay told the committee she's tired of all the hesitancy about cutting budgets both in 2009 and looking ahead to 2010.

"This is the No. 1 thing you do all year," McConnaughay said. "Make the time, ladies and gentlemen. I'm sorry, but you need to make a recommendation about what each department head needs to run that office. It's an uncomfortable job. Make the decision. Nobody wants to make those tough decisions. You've got to make them."

Barsanti said he's been itching for the chance to talk about his 2010 budget.

"Let's do it already," Barsanti said. "You want us to come in tomorrow, come in on the weekend? I'll come in here and pitch my budget."

Barsanti will have that chance as the committee decided to host budget hearings similar to the ones it hosted to establish the 2009 budget. That process, however, resulted in several department heads the committee oversees either given permission to run over budget or projected to blow their budget before the end of this year.