Des Plaines Ready to Finalize 2013 Budget on Tuesday

A fourth and final budget hearing will take place at Des Plaines City Hall on Nov. 13. Aldermen and city staff are also scheduled to discuss a water meter replacement program and water bill amnesty program.

Des Plaines City Council is set to wrap up budget details at a meeting on Tuesday. In addition to the final budget approval, aldermen are scheduled to discuss a water meter replacement program and a water bill amnesty program at the fourth and final special annual budget hearing Spending by the City of Des Plaines is projected in the 2013 budget to be $127 million, a 12.9 percent, or $14.5 million, increase from 2012 budget, Michael Bartholomew, city manager, stated in his introduction to the 2013 budget, published on the city’s website. The vast majority of the increase is due to the investment in infrastructure projects of $3.7 million over 2012 in the Capital Projects fund, Bartholomew stated, a $2 million increase in water and sewer …

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Des Plaines Receives Nationally-Recognized Budget Award

Dorothy Wisniewski, director of the finance department, was credited with leading efforts to earn the recognition.

Rivers Casino Tax Revenue, TIF Districts, Sewer Water Improvements, More Discussed at Des Plaines Budget Meeting

Three special finance committee hearings during which city officials review the city’s proposed budget for 2013 began this week. The final meeting is Oct. 30.

Aldermen and city staff continued annual budget discussions at the second of three annual hearings at city hall on Thursday. Hot topics included some of the tax increment financing districts, also known as TIF’S, how to spend gaming tax revenue, software purchases more. A copy of the City of Des Plaines 2013 proposed budget is on the city’s website. Here are a few of the items, with page numbers, that impelled discussion at the meeting. The new machines would be able to accept credit and debit cards, smartphone payments, city debit cards and cash for a transaction fee of 37 cents, according to the proposed budget.   This funding request calls for streetscaping improvements along Ellinwood Street. Sixth Ward Alderman Mark Walsten said he …

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Budget Discussions Begin at Des Plaines City Hall

Aldermen, city staff discussed overtime pay for city workers, removing trees infested with Emerald Ash Borer, remodeling city council chambers and more on Wednesday.

For the third consecutive year, Des Plaines’ proposed budget includes a zero percent tax levy. City council and City of Des Plaines staff reviewed a variety of expenses related to the general fund at the first of three annual budget hearings at city hall on Wednesday. The discussion about the 2013 budget covered city staff, the police and fire departments, public works and engineering department, information technology department, emergency management agency, police and fire commission and other city services. A copy of the City of Des Plaines 2013 proposed budget is on the city’s website. Here are a few of the items, with page numbers, that impelled discussion at the meeting.   The request form includes $4,000 to replace ceiling speakers…

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Des Plaines Budget Hearings to Begin

City council will discuss the 2013 proposed budget at meetings on Oct. 17, Oct. 18 and Oct. 30.

Annual budget hearings at Des Plaines City Council will be at city hall, 1420 Miner St., Oct. 17, Oct. 18 and Oct. 30. All of the hearings begin at 7 p.m. General fund items scheduled to be discussed on Oct. 17 include elected office, city manager, finance, community and economic development, public works and engineering, police and fire departments, emergency management agency and the police and fire commission. Non-general fund items scheduled to be discussed on Oct. 18 include tax increment financing funds, or TIF’s, motor fuel tax fund, community development block grant fund, grant-funded projects, gaming tax fund, debt service, capital projects, equipment replacement, IT replacement, water and sewer fund, city-owned parking, Metra-…

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Refinancing TIF Funds Nets City More than Projected

Actual savings from low interest rates will be about $80K more than expected.

The city’s decision to pay off the remaining balance on a land loan and refinance Tax Increment Finance funding, or TIF funds, saved more than expected, Dorothy Wisniewski, finance director, told City Council members at a meeting Monday. A TIF district is created when a local government freezes the tax base on properties within a certain area. All new property taxes in that district, which are generated by an increase in property value since the year the TIF started, are put into a special fund established for redevelopment projects within the district. By taking advantage of historically low interest rates, the city will save almost $80,000 more than expected in interest on its refinanced TIF bonds, Wisniewski said. Long-term interest …

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Zero Percent Tax Levy in 2012 Budget

City Council approved the budget Monday; it includes a controversial business development coordinator position.

City Council approved the city’s 2012 budget at its meeting on Monday at City Hall. Aldermen hailed the plan, which includes a zero percent tax levy increase. One contentious part of the budget was a business development coordinator position, which was set at $99,000. Some aldermen said they want the position to be full-time, whereas others thought the funds should be used for contract services. The same position was eliminated a year ago, around the same time the city hired a new director of community and economic development, Matthew Bartholomew. For now, council voted 6-2 in favor of keeping the money in the budget, and tabling the choice between a full-time or contract position. Aldermen Dan Wilson, seventh ward, and Mike Charewicz, …

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Finance Committee Discusses Paying Down Debt

Changes would save more than $500,000, officials say.

Des Plaines officials may decide to repay some of the city’s debts with reserve money from the city’s general fund to save on long-term interest, the Daily Herald reported. Officials could choose to pay off $810,000 of debt from a loan that was used to purchase land for a proposed fire station in 2001. Funds to build the fire station were not available at the time. At their meeting at City Hall Monday, committee members also discussed refinancing debt from some of the city’s TIF districts to take advantage of better interest rates. For the story, visit the Daily Herald’s website. “We must be aggressive if we’re going to going to pay down debt, relieve the general fund, and keep property taxes low,” Matthew Bogusz, third ward alderman and …

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Funding for Historical Society, Economic Development Position Approved

Aldermen work on finalizing 2012 budget.

At the third and final meeting for the 2012 budget at City Hall Wednesday, officials examined costs for a number of programs as they work to allocate the city’s $114 million in expenditures. Aldermen approved a new full-time position, which officials hope will foster better relationships between the city and businesses. Earlier: Zero Percent Property Tax Increase in Des Plaines’ 2012 Budget Michael Bartholomew, director of Community and Economic Development, said the Business Development Coordinator position, which will the city approved at $100,000, would give the city a way to inform businesses of its incentive programs and increase business retention, said. Mayor Martin Moylan said the city had a similar position a couple years ago and …

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Major Renovations Likely for Downtown in 2012

TIF funds to improve sidewalks, train depot.

Des Plaines city officials continued working through the city’s 2012 proposed budget at the second of three budget hearings Oct. 12. Wednesday night’s talks centered on projects and equipment not related to the city’s general fund, and it looks like Des Plaines’ downtown core will see a lot of renovations in 2012. Funding for all of these projects will come from the city’s Tax Increment Finance funding, or TIF’s. A TIF district is created when a local government freezes the tax base on properties within a certain area. All new property taxes in that district, which are generated by an increase in property value since the year the TIF started, are put into a special fund established for redevelopment projects within the district. Sidewalks …

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