Food insecurity funding, mental health and substance use investments, and additional public safety allocations are among some of the initiatives DuPage County Board chairwoman Deborah Conroy is including in her recently unveiled fiscal year 2025 budget.
Conroy’s balanced budget proposal clocks in at $635.8 million and includes an anticipated property tax levy in the amount of $71 million. The document maintains funding for existing core services, Conroy indicated in her presentation, and taps into new construction without raising the property tax rate.
Several initiatives included in DuPage budget draft
In her presentation of the draft budget at the county board’s Tuesday, Sept. 24, meeting, Conroy highlighted several proposed initiatives incorporated into the tentative spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
It includes earmarks toward several priorities Conroy said point back to key goals and objectives within county governance. Among the highlighted line items in the plan is a $500,000 allocation toward food insecurity, which Conroy said is designed “to assist families who need our help.”
“The fact is, the cost of groceries remains stubbornly high,” Conroy said of the proposal, which would link county resources with deployed efforts at food pantries and nonprofit organizations across the county. “I believe putting aside additional dollars to support these efforts is a prudent investment and will strengthen our social service safety net.”
Mental health funding and resources was another concept Conroy wove throughout her budget presentation. One tangible way she is proposing to assist is a $350,000 contribution toward the DuPage Council on Strengthening the System for Mental Health and Substance Use Care.
“I’m increasing the annual county allotment,” Conroy said. “This money will fund community initiatives providing mental health services, substance use treatment, and counseling at the grassroots level.”
Flat tax rate anticipated
DuPage County’s tax levy for the upcoming fiscal year is expected to grow at the rate of new construction growth, meaning most homeowners should not have an increase for the county’s specific line item. On average, the county’s tax should comprise about 2% of a homeowner’s overall bill.
“Thanks to the actions of this entire board … and staff, we have healthy reserves,” Conroy said. “We have not raised property taxes in more than a decade, and the budget I present today keeps the property tax rate flat.”
On the heels of strong economic performance within the region, Conroy said she and other officials within her administration are upbeat about the road ahead.
“We anticipate strong revenue performance this next year, which will help us meet our obligations,” she said as she wrapped up the various factors in play on the revenue and expenditure sides of the ledger.
To illustrate her point, Conroy highlighted statistics from Choose DuPage, the Downers Grove-based organization focused on economic development.
The group’s efforts, she said, account for 318 economic development projects within the county that have been credited with creating or retaining 5,400 jobs. Countywide, job growth reportedly has been to the tune of 5%, with the addition of 33,000 jobs since January 2022.
A look back and next steps
Conroy said creation of the draft 2025 budget came after months of collaboration and review from elected officials and county staffers.
“I reviewed all of the budget requests that came to us this summer,” Conroy said. “They were more than $20 million higher than our revenue estimates. That might cause any leader to need not one — but two — emotional support dogs. I asked our department directors and elected officials to sharpen their pencils and streamline those budget requests.”
Ultimately, some areas of the budget could increase — in one instance, by double digits — as staffing and other spending allocations were considered. The 18th Judicial Circuit Court, for instance, could increase its budget 11.8%, while the Clerk of Circuit Court’s could rise 5.7% and public defender’s office could rise 4.2%.
In all but one instance, Conroy said she was able to meet with county elected officials before the draft budget was presented. The lone exception was the county clerk’s office, which could have an increased 5% budget. The county board is in the midst of a lawsuit against County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek over the timing of vendor bill payments
The DuPage County Board will hash over Conroy’s budget proposal in the coming months before acting on it in late November.
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