Expenditures and Revenues Up for Proposed City Budget

A public hearing will be held April 19 for Crystal Lake’s fiscal year 2011/2012 budget during the city council’s regular meeting.

The budget can be accessed in its entirety at the Crystal Lake City Manager’s Office and online at the city’s website. 

Overall, proposed budgeted expenditures in all funds total $85.57 million as compared to $83.02 million for fiscal year 2010/2011. 

Finance Director Mark Nannini said the largest increases are capital expenditures such as road improvements, water and sewer infrastructure maintenance, and the purchase of equipment. 

Big ticket expenses include over $12.4 million for road improvements, seven new vehicles for the Crystal Lake Police Department totaling $170,000, and a $950,000 ladder truck and $176,000 ambulance for Crystal Lake Fire Rescue. The city’s $50 million in reserves and pension funds will be used for these expenditures. 

Revenues in 2011/2012 are expected to grow by 2.47 percent in sales tax, 8.80 percent in Home Rule sales tax and by 0.46 percent in state income tax; increasing revenues 3 percent from last year to $71.32 million. 

To keep costs down, Nannini said the 10.5 full-time positions vacant for several years will remain unfilled in the upcoming fiscal year. He estimated these vacancies have saved the city of over $1 million in salaries and benefits to date. 

“This was definitely used as a balancing item,” he said.