An increase of nearly 11.3% in expenses in the Norridge village budget this year will be offset by $2 million in grants and unspent funds from last year, Village Administrator Joanna Skupien said.
“We’re happy with it,” Skupien said of the budget. “It’s good when you are able to budget from year to year. It shows you have increased revenue flow. It allows you to provide much-needed improvements and services to residents.”
The 2024-25 budget, which funds expenses from May 1 to April 30 of next year, totals $37,586,248, up from $33,811,787 in the previous fiscal year. The Village Board approved the budget in June.
“Lots of things have gone up and down, as they do every year,” Skupien said. “There are two large items in the budget that were not in last year’s budget. They are related to separate grants we are expected to receive.”
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has awarded Norridge a $1.5 million grant to repair a water main on Overhill Avenue and a $500,000 grant for waste and storm sewer improvements, she said.
“Those are significant ones that did not exist in last year’s appropriations,” Skupien said.
Furthermore, the village increased funding for street repairs from $1.1 million last year to $1.8 million this year, she said. That increase will be covered with excess funds that were not spent last year, Skupien said.
“We will do a vast list of streets that need resurfacing, all by April 30 of 2025,” she said.
With $45.6 million in revenue and cash on hand, the budget contains a surplus of more than $8 million.
Meanwhile, Norridge will again request $2.3 million in property taxes as part of its 2024-25 levy.
“My biggest thing is I’m very proud that there is no property tax levy increase,” Trustee Jack Bielak said. “The current property tax is used only for police pensions, and there is a zero percent increase in taxes. And we’re making significant improvements to infrastructure, which makes me very happy.”
Bielak, chairman of the board’s Law and Ordinance and Economic Development Committee, said another good sign is that Norridge’s sales tax, which is expected to generate more than $11 million this year, is finally returning to pre-pandemic levels.
“As I look each month, I can see we’re approaching or exceeding 2019 numbers, which allows us to make these infrastructure improvements, which we’re very proud to be able to do,” he said.
Other large projects in the 2024-25 budget, Skupien said, include:
- $1.2 million to rehabilitate the village water tower off of Montrose Avenue.
- $300,000 to continue to upgrade the supervisory control and data acquisition system that monitors water pressure and levels.
- $592,000 to replace meters in the first section of homes targeted under a three-year program that started this year.
- $55,000 to purchase recycling carts for residents after funding through an electrical aggregation program ran out for recycling bins.
“Our aggregation program is coming to an end, but the carts are extremely popular,” she said. “The residents have been utilizing them and asking for them. A lot of the town does not have them yet.”
The village budgeted for 900 carts but does not have enough yet for the entire community, Skupien said.
“We will replace the small green bins without wheels or covers,” she said. “They will be a better option in terms of health and sanitation.”
This year’s budget also includes $25,000 to reimburse residents for concrete work around their homes and $10,000 to reimburse residents for flood control devices, Skupien said.
