Proposed DuPage County Budget Reduces Payroll Costs and Seeks Consolidation

DuPage County's proposed fiscal year 2012 budget cuts spending by $10.3 million, DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin said this week.

“The budget properly funds our obligations, is balanced and does not increase property taxes,” he said.

The proposed budget is $434.7 million, which is $10.3 million lower than the current budget. This reduction represents the third consecutive year the county has cut the budget, which is $44 million less than the FY 2009 financial plan.

The budget reduces employment costs, seeks consolidation and partnerships and pursues reform and transparency. It also prevents layoffs or furlough days that could cause service interruptions for residents. At the same time, services such as public safety, infrastructure, human services, highway improvements, drainage projects and storm water needs continue to be funded, Cronin said.

“This budget outlines the challenges that lie ahead and what opportunities we can pursue to make DuPage County a more dynamic and productive body of local government,” he said.

One of the major concerns for the county’s budget is the cost of overhead expenses, such as employee health insurance, and pension benefits that are expected to increase by 133 percent in the next five years.

“Not only do these items cost millions more each year, but they squeeze our ability to provide essential services to residents,” Cronin said.

To ease the financial strain, the budget includes a new policy change that modifies compensation policies for county employees by cutting the number of sick time and vacation days accrued. This policy change, alone, is expected to save taxpayers nearly $20 million over the next 20 years.

“We sought input from our employees as well as from the private sector in order to ensure the new policies were consistent with business practices yet also respected by our workforce," Cronin said.

More financial concerns include the cost of IMRF and health insurance that are anticipated to increase by 50 percent by 2016.

Cronin said the county will see a cost savings from the 104 employees who retired this year, in addition to the elimination of 12 full-time positions. And to help make up for the increased cost of health insurance, employees will be required to pay more for their health care benefits.

Cronin requested board members help him seek efficiencies by closing the Juvenile Detention Center and combining efforts with Kane County. While the appropriation is included in the budget, Cronin said he hopes the County Board will seal the partnership with Kane County and ultimately save taxpayers $1 million annually.

“I am still committed to the innovative partnership with Kane County to significantly reduce the exorbitant cost to operate the Juvenile Detention Center. It costs county taxpayers 3 ½ times more per day to house a juvenile in this facility than it does to pay the daily tuition at the University of Illinois,” he said.

Cronin said he will continue to pursue reform and transparency through gaining much needed oversight of the county’s independent boards and commissions. Currently, he is collecting budget and operational information from these entities in an effort to gain a better understanding of the services they provide and to look for ways to consolidate, streamline and downsize the agencies.

The County Board will host two public hearings to gather input from residents, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Village of Addison, 1 Friendship Plaza, and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Village of Lisle, 925 Burlington Ave.

“I truly believe the 2012 budget will allow us to build on the successes of this past year and represent the best interests of the taxpayers we in DuPage County are committed to serving,” Cronin said.