DuPage seeks feedback on new budget, state of county government

Before putting together a 2023 budget plan, DuPage County officials are asking taxpayers to sound off on various spending issues.

Residents have a chance to weigh in on the county's fiscal agenda by filling out an online survey from now through Labor Day weekend.

Officials launched the survey to collect feedback on the state of the county government and to help gauge perceptions of public safety. The questionnaire also asks which environmental initiatives should get top priority as the county responds to climate change and seeks to reduce its carbon footprint.

"It's important for us to gather these opinions because we do take those into consideration as we're crafting our financial plan," county board finance committee Chairwoman Liz Chaplin said.

The survey comes as countywide elected officials and department heads begin to outline their spending wish lists. County Board Chairman Dan Cronin is set to unveil his budget proposal on Sept. 27.

Halfway through the current fiscal year, Cronin's administration last month offered a strong financial picture. The county is expected to end fiscal 2022 with a $30 million surplus in its general fund, primarily because of revenue growth fueled by sales and income taxes, coupled with lower-than-expected operating costs.

"We're optimistic about where we stand," Chaplin said.

The first five months of sales tax receipts generated $53.21 million, topping budget estimates for that period by $12.45 million.

"It's all good news on the sales tax front," Chief Financial Officer Jeff Martynowicz told county board members in late June.

Still, officials remain cautiously optimistic amid a tight labor market, inflation and a supply-chain crunch. On the expense side, the county budgeted more than $154 million for personnel, the largest single area of cost. Financial planners are now projecting personnel costs to total $146.36 million.

"We have a lot of head count currently that we're having trouble hiring. (That's) bad for departments, good for our income statement," Martynowicz said.

Earlier this month, DuPage Sheriff James Mendrick said his department faces double-digit staffing shortages. Like many agencies, the sheriff's office is dealing with a wave of retirements - 25 this year - while competing for qualified officers.

County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek's office next is scheduled to make a budget request to the board's finance committee on Aug. 9.

Some county board members, meanwhile, are urging financial restraint approaching the upcoming fiscal year.

"We do have extra revenue," said Jim Zay, who has suggested paying down the county's debt. "We just have to be leery of what's going on in the economy right now."

The budget survey is available on the county's website at dupagecounty.gov.

"It's a very short survey," Chaplin said, "and we keep it that way on purpose so that people don't get tired of answering question after question."

So far, the county has received 2,150 responses.