Politics & Government

DuPage County 2012 Budget Cuts Revenue, Jobs

Some savings will come from closing the DuPage County Juvenile Detention Center early next year and transferring its detainees to Kane County.

The DuPage County 2012 budget includes spending and staff cuts and a controversial consolidation of the county youth home. Approved Nov. 22, these actions reduce spending for the third straight year. And for the fourth consecutive year, property taxes will not be raised.

 “During these volatile economic times, DuPage County is attempting to ease the uncertainty for our residents by functioning in a frugal, responsible manner without jeopardizing essential services,” said DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin in a prepared statement.

The county board voted 17-1 at its Nov. 22 meeting to adopt the $434.3 million budget proposal, $10.7 million less than this year’s budget. The county’s new fiscal year begins Dec.1.

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Some of those savings will come from the to close the DuPage County Juvenile Detention Center early next year and transfer its detainees to Kane County’s regional facility in St. Charles. This move will cut 46 jobs, reducing the staff count to 2,234 full-time employees. 

Before this week’s budget vote, county board members who fought to keep the youth home open failed to get an amendment passed that would have kept the extra $400,000 in the spending plan — an amount needed just to overcome state cuts, according to the Daily Herald. Their measure, which was defeated by a 10-8 vote, also would have set aside another $230,000 next year to hire more staff at the facility.

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The Kane County Board still must review the pending contract and sign off on the deal before any of DuPage’s juveniles come to Kane’s youth home, the Herald reported.

In addition to the youth home staff cuts and no property tax increase, the budget includes:

  • Greater contribution by employees for health insurance;
  • Modified employee benefits that cut sick time and vacation days;
  • A balanced General Revenue Fund; and
  • An estimated sales tax growth of 3.5 percent.

 Details of the approved budget can be viewed online on the DuPage County website, dupageco.org.


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