Farmers Weekly Review

With little of the usual storm and stress, the Will County Board approved approved an $832 million budget for 2024-25.

The budget includes $273 million for the Corporate Fund, which is used for county operations, and $558 million for various Special Funds that are restricted for a specific purpose, such as motor fuel taxes, departmental fees, and entities governed by their own boards.

The budget, voted on at the November 21 County Board meeting, begins Dec. 1, 2024.

The budget is up from last year’s $815 million, but the tax rate for the county is expected to drop to a little over 51 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, down from just under 55 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

Both totals exclude the separate levy for the mental health board, approved by voters through a referendum two years ago.

The anticipated county tax rate won’t be known for certain until January, when county officials learn the exact amount of the total assessed valuation of properties in the county.

Using the 51-cent rate, the effect for the owner of a house with a market value of $250,000 would pay $425 toward Will County government. This is excluding the mental health board levy, and any savings through the Homestead Exemption, Senior Exemption or others offered through the Will County Supervisor of Assessment’s Office.

Public safety and judicial operations making up 62 percent of the county’s operating budget. The budget allocated funding for 19 new judicial and public safety positions, including 13 court security officers in the Sheriff’s Department as part of the continued transition from deputies serving in court security roles.

The increase in court security officers will shift existing courthouse deputies to other duties, including patrol and response.

“With this budget, we can put more deputies on the street for patrols, traffic enforcement for trucks, and investigations,” said Sheriff Mike Kelley in a press release.

“This is the first increase we’ve had to our detective team since 1976, which is significant. I want to thank the County Executive and County Board for including this request in the budget, which will significantly improve our operations.”

The budget also outlines a five-year Capital Improvement Plan, with $8.5 million of projects identified in the upcoming fiscal year. The largest allocation is $3.5 million for the county-owned building at 1300 Copperfield in Joliet, which will be retrofitted to become a unified Veteran Assistance and Support Center.

The goal of the project is to house the Veterans Assistance Commission and other veteran organizations at the county-owned office building, creating a unified “one-stop shop” for veteran services.

“While the 2025 budget levy did not meet my initial expectations, I recognize the County Board’s diligent efforts in balancing the needs of our community,” said Will County Board Member Jim Richmond, Finance Committee Chair, in the press release.

“They have worked to ensure that the final budget is fair and serves the best interests of our citizens. I appreciate their commitment to making tough decisions that will support our county’s growth and prosperity.”

Also included is funding for a consolidated county website project, which aims to reduce the number of independent county websites, improve transparency, and improve how residents can access services. The project is funded by reimbursed funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency from COVID-19 expenses.

Various public safety and social service agencies are also receiving allocations with revenue from the State of Illinois Cannabis Sales Tax. These include $450,000 for a Housing Stabilization Program, $345,000 for the Children’s Advocacy Center, $257,000 for the Elevate Will County Child Care Provider Grant, and $225,000 for the county’s Problem Solving Courts.

“This budget reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility and investing in shared priorities,” said County Executive Bertino-Tarrant in the release.

“A budget is a statement of values, and this budget reflects public safety being a top priority of county leadership. I appreciate that we were able to work together to increase funding for public safety and community services, while maintaining a balanced budget.”

Will County continues to maintain a AA credit rating from Moody’s Ratings, as stated in the release, which praised the county in October for a strong financial position due to “conservative financial management and growing revenue.”

The ratings agency said that Will County’s “excellent” credit position is strengthened by “strong budgetary management with multiyear planning and strong transparency.”

Farmers Weekly Review Editor Nick Reiher contributed to this story.