Property Tax Increase Part of Proposed 2016 City Budget

Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz has released the proposed budget for the City of Evanston’s 2016 Fiscal Year.

The total proposed budget is $294,710,257, which includes all funds and inter-fund transfer expenses, according to a city news release.

The General Fund is balanced and is projected to have $111,725,181 in revenues and $110,187,198 in expenditures, with an additional $962,469 in expenditures for consideration during the City Council’s budget discussion process. The budget includes a proposed two percent increase in the City’s share of Evanston property taxes to accommodate additional recommended spending on Police and Fire pensions. There are no other proposed tax or fee increases.

The budget includes the proposed layoff of 1.5 staff positions: one full-time position in the Community Development Department and a half-time position at the Evanston Animal Shelter. Also included in the budget is a City Council option to add up to 1.9 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions: 1.5 FTE staff at the Gibbs-Morrison Cultural Center and a 0.4 FTE Special Events Coordinator position. Additionally, there is a proposal to shift some staff positions to better align with City Council goals.

“The prevailing economic climate has shown signs of improvement during the past year, however, the State remains an area of concern for the City of Evanston,” said Bobkiewicz. “The State of Illinois has a fiscal year from July 1 to June 30. At time of publication, the State continues to operate without a budget for the past four months, since June 30, 2015. State legislators have passed a monthly budget, but have failed to address comprehensive statewide budget issues which may impact local revenue sources.”

Although the 2016 Proposed Budget is balanced, an additional $1.5 million in potential reductions and revenue adjustments have been identified pending State budget announcements.

The City of Evanston’s 2016 Proposed Budget will be formally presented to the Evanston City Council on Monday, October 19, 7 p.m., in the James C. Lytle City Council Chambers. Residents are also invited to attend a public hearing on the budget on Saturday, October 24, at 9 a.m., in the Council Chambers.

Residents are encouraged to provide input on the proposed budget through the following channels. 

• Email: budgetinquiries@cityofevanston.org
• Mail: City Manager’s Office, 2100 Ridge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201
• Phone/Text: 847-448-4311
• Facebook: facebook.com/cityofevanston
• Twitter: twitter.com/cityofevanston