Will County Board Approves 2014 Tax Levy Estimate, Increased Tax Rate

The Will County Board on Thursday approved the 2014-2015 Annual Aggregate Levy estimate, which was part of the budget proposal made by Will County Executive Larry Walsh in September.

Walsh also proposed a five-year capital and roads plan as part of his September presentation.

“There are challenges that remain ahead for Will County government,” Walsh said. “Many of our facilities have far outlived their useful lives and no longer adequately serve the needs of our public or our staff. Our five-year capital improvement plan addresses current deficiencies in both our facilities and our use of technology. It also outlines a pro-active plan for the future of Will County.”

The vote increases the Will County Board’s tax levy by 1.5 percent, which is equal to the current rate of inflation as per the consumer price index (CPI), the county said in a press release. For the majority of homeowners in Will County, this reflects an annual increase of $5.50. The new levy will generate approximately $3 million annually of which nearly $2.4 million will be applied to current and future capital improvements for building renovations, new construction, and technology upgrades.

Current projects include work on the recently acquired former Social Security building, located at 158 Scott St., which will soon house the Coroner’s and Recorder of Deeds’ offices. These two countywide officials will consolidate from their current locations into one building at the coroner of Scott and Cass Street’s in downtown Joliet.

“This project alone saves the county $250,000 annually in rent expenses,” said Denise Winfrey, chairman of the Capital Improvements Committee for the Will County Board. “We also plan to begin work on the second and third floors of the recently acquired First Midwest Bank Building to accommodate key operations for the Sheriff’s Department - again, resulting in reduced cost and more efficiency for county law enforcement.”

Will County Board Speaker Herb Brooks added, “Our business communities look to Will County government to stay ahead of infrastructure improvements. Investing in new public facilities encourages additional private sector redevelopment.”

The next step for the County Board is to complete the expenditure plans and the entire budget for a final vote at the November 2014 board meeting.