The great concept of a Citizens Budget Advisory Committee was, in reality, a challenge. Basic sound committee structure and process were not the first order of business. It convened far too late to be effective. Originally intended to start in March, the first meeting did not occur until mid-June. We had no designated chairperson. We kept no minutes. Agendas rarely arrived in a timely manner, and no votes were ever taken on any budget issue. Resolution of member disagreements or consensus was nonexistent.
It became readily apparent early on that Administrator Cadwell was pitching a pre-scripted levy increase target. We were informed at the first meeting on June 19, that the departmental preliminary budgets were not yet available. Despite the absence of this information, it was already determined that the 2019 levy increase could not be in the 3-5 percent range as promised last year, but rather in the 5-7 percent range.
Prior to the first meeting, Braidy Powers reminded the department heads that the county board’s goal was to keep the 2019 levy increase below 5 percent. He also acknowledged the challenge of balancing the need and desire for public services with the tax burden.
That would constitute the first, and only time there was a hint of concern for the consequences to taxpayers. When the General Fund Departmental budgets came in, the total budget request increases were over 16 percent, not including Human Services and the Highway Department.
It soon became obvious that a major contributing factor to the problem was the ratification of the three employee contracts in January of 2018 in which salary/benefit packages could politely be described as “generous.” Of particular note was the additional costs tied to longevity raises and the ripple effects to FICA, Medicare, PERA, etc. The total contracts costs added over $400,000. What was proudly touted as a new employee contribution to health care costs was, in essence, subsidized by the total compensation changes.
When we began to advance the concern about the size of expenditures and the consequences of spending in the last several years, there was a consistent, unsettling response. The prevailing attitude of the county commissioners and administrator is simply that they know what the community needs and are under obligation to provide it.
Arguments against any budget trimming suggestions were countered with emotional testimonials. The typical response was to characterize these expenditures as investments, although there is no history or evidence of tangible future benefits.
A case in point is the shifting of $130,000 of formerly non-mandated expenditures to the Public Health and Human Services budget, which is now a line item and no longer subject to scrutiny. A newly formed committee outside of the budget committee determines the distribution of those funds.
Grants awarded for 2019 include: AEOA Rural Rides ($500); Birch Grove Community School ($15,093); Care Partners ($2,500); Community Education ($10,375); Cook County Higher Ed ($12,450); Cooperation Station ($22,659); Oral Task Force ($10,000); and Senior Center ($56,440).
The remaining non-mandated grants which are in the General Fund (Historical Societies and the Arts) were only briefly discussed and appear to be also untouchable. Several committee members questioned as to why the county would fund non-mandated entities when it cannot cover basic services without a levy increase.
Conversations about reducing other expense increases, such as mileage, meals and lodging, conference registration fees and the like, were quickly dismissed with a sweeping generalization that these are not excessive and greatly beneficial.
There was little discussion regarding the revenue side of the equation, which typically is the starting point of any budget process. There was no data on the anticipated effects on revenue due to: annual market adjustments, new construction additions to the tax base and property improvements. Most counties publish this information and its effect on the levy.
Then there is the matter of Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILT, state and federal). In 2018 substantial revenue flowed to the county beyond what was budgeted. The majority of these receipts are currently parked in the Undesignated Fund Balance because the county is uncertain as how they legally can be spent. Past levy increases were partly justified due to declining PILT payments.
Does it not follow that increases in PILT payments should have the opposite effect on the levy?
Another recent example of missed revenue opportunity was the waiver of three WTIP tower lease payments for a period of 25 years, at the annual rate of approximately $10,000 totaling a quarter of a million dollars over the term of the lease. This was justified as part of necessary emergency communications, a service that WTIP is already required to provide by the FCC.
Far too much valuable time during several meetings was spent on an apparent obsession with how county news is reported by the Cook County News-Herald and how that can be addressed. In our opinion, the CCNH is the only local media outlet that provides accurate, non-biased coverage of local government news and information. We are left with the impression that those who toe the line will be rewarded, and those who do not will suffer the consequences. This is alarming!
The most unsettling takeaway from our experience is the commissioner’s disconnect with the process. They rarely asked questions or offered any constructive ideas. When they did speak up, clarification or correction was often required. Particularly disturbing was the repeated deference to the county administrator without questions or challenges.
Nothing will change unless citizens start paying attention, speak up and encourage others to do the same. We do not support a 5.99 percent levy increase. The most recent Ehlers consultant projections indicate that from 2019 to 2026 the levy will rise from $9,790,211 to $15,421,631 or 57.5 percent. During this period, levies will soon approach double digits again.
Our conclusion is that the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee felt like nothing more than window dressing optics intended to quiet public ire by creating the impression that the county is actually listening.
Editor’s note: Both Nick and Liz served on the Cook County Budget Advisory Committee. If any other non-county employee who served on the budget committee would like to write an “As I See it” column, the Cook County News-Herald will afford them the space.
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