Kane County budget moves a step forward
By Matt Brennan For The Courier-News October 11, 2012 6:16PM
Updated: November 13, 2012 6:16AM
The Kane County Board has approved placing a tentative copy of the 2013 budget on display for the general public.
After spirited discussion at the Executive Committee last week, members opted to move ahead with a budget that maintains a flat levy and does not increase property taxes for residents. The budget that originally came out of the Finance Committee did allow for a marginal increase.
“Growing the overall cost of government is a bad idea,” county board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said.
The budget contains a $74 million allotment for the general fund and $231 million across all county funds.
It also contains the funding for a 2 percent raise for all non-union employees, as well as pay increases for assistant state’s attorneys. The budget does not currently contain a mechanism to pay for negotiated union contracts, something that concerns McConnaughay.
“They need to find some greater efficiencies within the budget that they have,” McConnaughay said.
In the past the board has asked department heads to look within their individual budgets to pay for negotiated union increases.
