County Board considers budget priorities ahead of Truth in Taxation meeting

With just a few meetings left in 2024, the Cook County Board of Commissioners is working to nail down a final budget and levy for 2025. At the meeting on Nov. 26, the board discussed how to approach several of the large budget items that were proposed for next year.

Interim Administrator Rowan Watkins told WTIP that much of the current budget conversation hinges on the question of how far into the future the board is planning for. While the county has a considerable sum in fund balance, as well as reserved money from Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), Watkins said that the question for commissioners is how much of that money should be spent to bring down the 2025 levy, as opposed to saving it for future projects.

The preliminary budget set earlier this year is 9.81%, though the board has stated on numerous occasions that they are committed to bringing the final number down. The commissioners have previously set a goal of 5% as the final levy.

While the county has access to funds that would bring the levy closer to 5% without altering too much of the proposed budget, the commissioners are trying to balance current needs with future large projects. Major construction projects may be a ways away for the county, but several commissioners stated that they wanted to make sure that they were taking those potential costs into account. This may mean that some proposed budget items for 2025 do not end up receiving funding, in an effort to both preserve some of the county’s saved money, while also bringing the final levy closer to the board’s stated goal.

Budget talks will continue at the board’s next business meeting, taking place at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 3. This meeting is a deviation from the regular meeting schedule in order to take the Christmas holiday later in the month into account. The business meeting will be followed that evening by the county’s Truth in Taxation meeting at 6 p.m. Watkins said that it is an opportunity for residents to provide feedback to county leadership about the proposed budget before it is finalized on Dec. 17. He said, “It’s a chance for folks to come in and ask questions, either assessor Thompson or Auditor Powers. The county board is there, and it’s really about, you know, an open and transparent process as to how we got to the numbers we got to.”

Budget talks have dominated the most recent Board of Commissioners meetings, but other county business has continued to move forward. At the Nov. 26 meeting the board also approved a contract with BKV to work on architectural plans for the Law Enforcement Center renovation as part of the Capital Improvement Plan, and they appointed Assistant County Attorney Jeanne Peterson to finish Attorney Molly Hicken’s term when Hicken leaves the role in January. In addition, the search for a new administrator is progressing, with DDA, the HR firm contracted to assist in the hiring, interviewing county staff before updating the job description. Watkins said that that process is on-track to have the position posted in late December or early January.

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with Interim Administrator Rowan Watkins about the Nov. 26 Board of Commissioners meeting. Audio of that interview is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski December 2, 2024