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Politics & Government

Village Council Opposes State Plan to Cut Tax Revenue

Several options for making the Burlington-Maple railroad crossing safer also are discussed.

Two primary issues garnered much discussion at the Downers Grove Village Council meeting Tuesday night: the state’s proposal to decrease the village’s share of income tax revenue and the railroad crossing at Burlington and Maple.  

Mike Baker, deputy village manager, explained to the council that the state gives 6 percent of its income tax revenue to municipalities, and the portion each receives is based on population. In 2010, the village received $3.8 million in state income tax.

These state funds represent up to 10 percent of the general revenue fund in Downers Grove's budget. (For point of reference, property tax makes up 30 percent and sales tax,  29 percent.)

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Though nothing has been finally decided at this point, the state’s proposal could reduce the village’s revenue by between $1.1 million and $3.8 million, Baker said.

Village officials are not happy. They’re working with lobbyists and are taking measures to communicate their thoughts to Springfield.

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“The resolution put before you this evening is simply a measure that would state our opposition to any action reducing the income tax revenue,” Baker said.

The resolution was adopted unanimously.

Several of the commissioners urged residents to write elected officials expressing their disapproval of the idea.

“This is a very large chunk of our revenue and the loss of this revenue would deeply impact every resident of Downers Grove,” Commissioner William Waldack said.

The current arrangement as been in place since the 1960s when the state agreed to share the income tax revenues with the municipalities, Waldack said.

“You could argue… that’s fair game,” Commissioner Bob Barnett said. “But it’s not. It’s not a gift from the state that we get that money the last 42 years. It’s not a charitable contribution that the village has received from the state for 42 years… It’s your hard-earned money.” Money that, Barnett said, ought to be spent by local officials.

“Until Springfield gets into a position and a mode like we’ve been in for two years about trying to figure out what they really need to do and how to fund it, this is just a Band-Aid and it’s going to continue,” he said. 

Commissioner Marilyn Schnell called it “a very real threat” saying that if the state keeps more of  the money, the village will need to make up the lost revenue somehow. “This is something we cannot afford for them to take away from us.”

Commissioner Sean Durkin said he believed the state was passing the buck to local government, and state officials don’t have the nerve to do the job they were elected to do and are afraid to make necessary cuts.

In other matters, Public Works Director Nan Newlon presented the first reading of several ordinances and motions, including an ordinance to regulate turns at 39th and Highland and an ordinance to regulate traffic on Burlington Avenue near the Maple railroad crossing.

Regarding signs at 39th and Highland, it is said to be unsafe with students crossing and impatient drivers. And with the current signs, it is a hard intersection for the police to enforce, Newlon said.

Commissioner Geoff Neustadt suggested making it a “No turn on red” only during the school year and removing the signs in the summer.

Durkin suggested placing a red light camera at the intersection.

Barnett suggested limiting which sides of the street pedestrians cross on.

At the end of the night, the verdict was to keep the topic on the agenda for next week so the staff would have some time to look into the other suggestions.

There was a first read of a motion to award $365,000 for a grade reduction project at the Maple Avenue and Burlington Avenue crossing and an ordinance to make a portion of Burlington a one-way street, eastbound.

The purpose of the project is to improve safety, Newlon said.

Barnett, who lives within blocks of the crossing, said the village would be better served to close it instead of spending village money and state money on the project. “I just hate this,” he said.

Newlon said that while the railroad companies are always interested in closing crossings, there are no higher-level discussions of closing the crossing, as far as she is aware.

Schnell and others expressed concern about moving traffic.

Mayor Martin Tully wanted to know more about the history of this project and the possibility of an underpass. “Maybe that is the goal we ought to be striving for,” he said.

Appointments:

In his mayor’s report, Tully appointed council members to various boards:

  • Commissioner Marilyn Schnell was appointed mayor pro tem, and appointed to the Finance and Administrative Committee;
  • Commissioner Geoff Neustadt was appointed as Deputy Liquor Commissioner and the Public Safety Committee Chair;
  • Commissioner Bob Barnett was appointed to the Public Safety Committee;
  • Commissioner Sean Durkin was appointed the Finance and Administrative Committee Chair and the Ex-Officio Council Representative to the Economic Development Corporation;
  • Commissioner William Waldack was appointed the Public Services Committee Chair; and
  • Commissioner Becky Rheintgen was appointed to the Public Services Committee

Other items:

Village Manager Dave Fieldman gave a general fund budget report for the 2011 first quarter. One of the key findings was that, so far, the revenues were coming in a little above budget. The 2011 sales tax was up 4.4 percent over 2010. Across the general fund, expenses are slightly below budget.

Marsha Giesler, Downers Grove Fire Department public information and education officer, announced the winners of the annual Learn Not To Burn contest. Mrs. Schultz’s 4th grade class at St. Joseph won first place for their list of safety tips. Mrs. Boyer’s 4th grade class at Highland School won first place for both of the other categories: first aid tips and cover design for a pamphlet. Fire Chief James Jackson, Sr. and Mayor Tully presented awards to the classes.

There was a first reading on a bid to put in new sidewalks throughout the village where there are currently none. The sidewalks would be completed before the next school year begins.

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