Above / The DuPage County seat is located at 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois. On Sept. 28, DuPage County Chairman Cronin proposes his 11th Consecutive Balanced Budget for approval on Nov. 23, 2021. The 2022 Fiscal Year begins on Dec. 1.
Wheaton – For the 11th consecutive year, DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin presented a balanced budget for the County Board’s consideration. The Fiscal Year 2022 budget proposal does not include a property tax increase for homeowners.
The total proposed budget for DuPage County is $465.5 million, with a General Revenue Fund of $207.8 million. The General Fund is the County’s chief operating fund, covering most personnel and program operations. The proposed budget includes a $69.5 million property tax levy, which captures new construction in the county being added to the property tax rolls. The DuPage County property tax rate remains flat, and the average DuPage County homeowner will not see an increase in their property tax bill.
“I have made a concerted effort to propose spending that creates a strong foundation for the decade ahead, designed to create impact in areas of identified need,” noted Cronin in a news release.
The County Board approved a conservative budget for FY2021 with a 10 percent reduction in projected sales tax revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. DuPage County’s sales tax revenue is projected to finish the year nearly 20 percent over budget due to better-than-expected revenues from sales and income taxes, and money received through real estate transactions such as transfer stamps and recording fees.
“We will be able to use these funds to position ourselves for the future, making targeted and strategic investments to secure our infrastructure and improve the County’s efficient and effective delivery of services,” Cronin said.
How funds are intended to be used
The Chairman’s proposed budget will use these funds to purchase new election equipment for the County Clerk, complete the implementation of the new property tax system, improve critical infrastructure on the County campus, and replace vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life. It doubles the funding for the Heroin Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Task Force moving from $100,000 to $200,000.
The budget also provides additional staffing, resources, and funding for the State’s Attorney, Sheriff, Public Defender, and Probation department due to increased costs as a result of the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act, which the Illinois General Assembly passed, and the governor signed into law earlier this year.
Public feedback welcomed
Members of the public can provide feedback on the proposed budget plan at www.dupageco.org/ProposedPlanFeedback.
The DuPage County Board will consider the Chairman’s proposed budget and will approve the budget at its Nov. 23 meeting. The 2022 Fiscal Year begins on Dec. 1.
Submitted by Evan Shields, Public Information Officer, DuPage County Board.
Editor’s Note: On Sept. 14, 2021, news reports announced that DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin would not seek reelection next year for a fourth term. Cronin’s term expires in December 2022.
