The City Council could balance next year’s budget without raising property taxes.
At Saturday’s workshop for the proposed budget, Evanston Finance Director Martin Lyons presented the council with the new budget plan.
“This plan would mean a zero-percent property tax increase without reducing current services,” he said .
Lyons presented the changes to the aldermen, Mayor Lorraine Morton and an audience of residents and city employees at the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.
Saturday’s gathering was the second workshop in a series of meetings devoted to finalizing the budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
Among the proposed budget changes: a $300,000 transfer from the Economic Development Fund reserves to the General Fund, saving $270,000 by postponing hiring for some unfilled positions and a $200,000 transfer from Evanston Township’s fund balance.
Lyons also proposed a half-percent reduction in projected employee wage increases that would save the city $230,000, and a one percent increase in the athletic events tax, which would generate an estimated $50,000.
Ald. Edmund Moran (6th) brought up the possibility of asking city employees to take a one-day furlough. Later, Ald. Elizabeth Tisdahl (7th) and Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) said they would also be willing to take a day without pay.
Interim City Manager Rolanda Russell estimated that a one-day furlough would save the city $175,000.
“If it’s council’s desire, we could work to make that happen,” Russell said.
If adopted, Lyons’ plan promises to bring some relief to residents already struggling to pay their property taxes.
Earlier at the workshop, Mayor Morton asked residents and city employees to address their concerns before the council. Many expressed their financial woes and their worries about a potential tax increase.
Olga Mest, 2123 Wesley Ave., told the council that she and her husband were unable to fully pay their property taxes last year. She said that many of her neighbors are also struggling to pay their bills and asked that the city not raise taxes.
“I’m probably going to be homeless soon if things don’t change,” Mest said.
Evanston Township Assessor Sharon Eckersall also asked the council to avoid raising property taxes, saying that many residents are already losing their homes under the economic “pinch.”
“You should change your way of thinking so other lifelong Evanstonians don’t lose their homes,” Eckersall said.
Morton acknowledged the economic hardships facing the city. All residents are “hurting and don’t have the resources,” she said.
“We’re all in this boat together,” she said. “We’ll survive together and we’ll sink together.”
The next public hearing on the city’s budget will be Feb. 2. Aldermen are scheduled to vote on the final resolution at their Feb. 9 meeting.
