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Morton Grove looking at balanced budget, flat tax levy
Updated: December 30, 2012 6:33AM
MORTON GROVE — Morton Grove officials expect to run a slight surplus next year under a tentative 2013 budget.
The proposed budget calls for just under $24.9 million in revenue and about $24.7 million in expenditures.
At a budget workshop last week, Village Administrator Ryan Horne said he projects the village will finish 2013 with a surplus of $131,346.
Horne said those figures would allow the village to maintain a fund balance of just over 25 percent in its operating fund. The village board has set 25 percent as its goal.
To balance the budget, Horne said the village has made efforts to reduce personnel costs.
Citing an example, he said the village is now using GovTemps, a temporary employee service that specializes in serving the needs of governmental bodies.
In some cases, Horne explained, the village can hire a temp to help out during periods of the year when more staff is needed.
“During licensing season, we’ll get people who can help with that service,” he told trustees at the Nov. 21 workshop.
He added that some full-time positions have been reduced to part-time, and other employees have been cross-trained so they can work in more than one department.
On the revenue side of the budget, the village proposal does not call for an increase to the property tax levy.
The village’s proposed 2012 levy, which includes money for operating funds as well as bond payments, is expected to bring in just under $10 million, the same amount as the 2011 levy, The 2012 levy represents the amount of property taxes that will be collected next year.
Horne said that the levy for the Morton Grove Public Library, proposed at about $3 million, also is the same as 2011.
Although the Library Board sets the levy, the library is not a separate taxing body and the levy must be approved by the village board.
Two additional budget workshops will be held before the Dec. 10 vote. The meetings, on Nov. 27 and Dec. 5, begin at 6 p.m. at the Richard T. Flickinger Municipal Center, 6101 Capulina Ave.
