'Fat And Happy': Burr Ridge Finances Touted

BURR RIDGE, IL – Burr Ridge officials said last week the village was in a good financial position, with one describing it as "fat and happy."

Burr Ridge is the rare town that is debt-free, having paid off its debt for the police station building last year.

For the first time ever, the village is getting $3 in sales and dining taxes for every $1 in property taxes, officials said.

"We're not relying on one specific source the way some other towns are," Village Administrator Evan Walter said at a Village Board meeting. "If (one source) doesn't quite hit the mark, the odds are very good that something else will exceed the mark. Thus, we have a very stable revenue base."

Walter said the village makes up just 1.5 percent of the property tax bill. Other nearby towns are about as low.

About the village's plan, Walter said, "These things together create a very steady, resilient and ready-for-opportunities budget."

Trustee Joe Snyder said the village is operating like a "finely tuned engine." But he said the village should consider additional income down the road.

"While we are fat and happy now, things change," Snyder said. "I want to make sure we stay on top of that for later."