Mount Prospect tax levy flat, but residents can expect higher water costs, new storm sewer fee

Mount Prospect's 2022 budget calls for no increase in the village's property tax levy, but an 8% hike in water and sewer rates and a new, $5-per-month storm sewer utility fee intended to raise $1 million a year for flood control projects.

The village will levy $19.4 million in property taxes, the same as in 2021 and 2019, under a budget approved by village trustees Tuesday.

In order to keep that level flat, the village is abating $625,000 from the levy for public safety pensions and another $4.2 million from the debt service levy, taking the money from "alternate revenue sources," Finance Director Amit Thakkar said.

The budget calls for $155 million in spending. It includes the hiring of six firefighters, at a cost of $529,000. The new hires are intended to improve response times in the southern portion of the village, including the area served by the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District.

The village also will hire an additional police social caseworker to be deployed on the second shift, with funding coming from federal coronavirus relief money.

With water and sewer rates rising 8%, the average household will see an increase of $6.55 per month, officials said.

Garbage collection rates also will rise, by 3.5%. That will hike the annual cost from $253.80 to $262.68, according to village documents.

The budget provides $45.6 million for capital projects, including $5 million in American Rescue Plan funds. The use of those funds will be finalized early next year, Thakkar said.

Trustee John Matuszak complimented village management for working to keep the tax levy flat and "in assuring that we are delivering services to the village at the lowest possible cost."

He expressed dissatisfaction, however, with the stormwater fee.

"I hope that we can at some point in the future address that in a more equitable manner," he said.