Trustees Approve a Balanced Budget for 2012

Village trustees passed a balanced budget for 2012 at last night’s Morton Grove Village Board meeting.

This marks the second year in a row that the village’s budget has been balanced. The .

Earlier: 

Finance director Ryan Horne described some of the key details of Morton Grove's proposed budget for 2012.

Budget surplus

“Last year was the first year we had a balanced budget," Horne said. “This year we are budgeting for a surplus.”

In terms of the general fund, which accounts for items such as salaries, utilities and general services, the village has a surplus of $35,000 for 2012.

“And I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but remember that just last year was the first time we had gotten to a balanced budget, meaning “zero;” expenses and revenues equal to each other,” Horne said. “That’s the first time that has happened I think in four years. So, even though it’s only $35,000, it is very significant.”

Horne also added the village has a 1.03 percent decrease in the tax levy for Morton Grove residents in 2012. This is due, in part, to the decreasing their portion of the tax levy by 4.27 percent.

Library zeroed in on budget

Morton Grove Library Board President Mark Albers elaborated on board meeting and budgetary changes which have occurred throughout 2011.  

“The directors were asked to do a zero-based budget and at the conclusion of the budget process we actually lowered the tax levy,” Albers said. "We did this without a reduction in personnel or hours.”

He also noted the board’s work on during monthly board meetings. Changes to meetings stemmed after were made by previous library board members.

No other residents spoke on the budget or any agenda items. 

Village Trustee Maria Toth went on to thank her colleagues for their hard work.

“I would like to reiterate, as Ryan told us tonight, that we again have a balanced budget this year,” Toth said. “The board wishes to thank all of our department heads and their staff for the thorough job that they did in limiting overall spending while keeping essential services that we have with the village intact.”

Next year’s expenditures for the Village of Morton Grove total $53,551,475 and the Morton Grove Public Library’s budget totals $3,154,901.

Morton Grove’s budget was originally presented at a workshop held on Oct. 25 and revised from there.