Elmhurst Staff Cuts? Everything On Table: Officials

ELMHURST, IL – Noting Elmhurst's budget difficulties, an alderwoman suggested Monday that staff cuts were on the table. And so was everything else, she said.

As with practically any public body, wages and benefits make up most of the city's budget.

At a public works committee meeting, Alderman Mike Baker asked why aldermen wanted the city to consider diverting money intended for long-planned stormwater projects to other purposes.

Alderwoman Emily Bastedo, who heads the committee, spoke about the budget situation, referring to the city's "new position."

She said many people don't want to touch certain things when it comes to budget cuts, including staffing at City Hall.

She said if staff cuts were on the table, everything else must be, including stormwater work.

Alderman Guido Nardini agreed, saying, "There should be no sacred cows."

"A deep dive (into spending) doesn't mean anything if we're not looking at uncomfortable cuts," the alderman said.

Last month, aldermen Bastedo, Mike Brennan and Noel Talluto asked for the committee to look at diverting stormwater money. They are three of the four mayor-appointed chairmen of City Council committees.

City officials told the council about the budget troubles during meetings last fall.

As a result, the council unanimously approved hiking the property tax levy by $1 million, which the city estimated would mean $56 more for the owner of a $500,000 house.

Aldermen also cut the budget by $3.6 million. But they agreed that the reductions would not address a projected long-term budget deficit, with income dropping and spending rising.

At the time, Alderman Jacob Hill proposed another $164,000 in cuts. Of his 13 colleagues, only aldermen Michael Bram and Dan Virgil went along.

The council decided to take a "deep dive" into spending.