PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Peoria County Board, without much fanfare, approved next year’s budget that will have no tax increase and a wage increase for members of the county’s AFSCME local.
The 18-0 vote means the $154.9 million budget, up 2.6% from last year’s budget, will take effect on Jan. 1.
Union officials and the county reached an agreement whereby employees would get a 3% raise in the first year of their five-year pact followed by raises ranging from 2 to 3% each year. There was also a $1,000 signing bonus. The overall effect of the new pact, approved by the union rank and file in late September, was $388,000 or about 0.2% of the overall budget.
There is an estimated 6.7% increase in anticipated property tax revenue in 2024 which is due to an increase in land values. Given that and the record high interest on the county’s bank accounts, the anticipated revenues next year are $150.6 million, up 2% from last year.
Peoria County also gets money from other sources as such as sales and motor fuel taxes.
Jimmy Dillon, the board’s chairman, said his colleagues put capital improvements at the top of the list when it came to their strategic plan. He also noted the budget fully funds the various pension obligations as well.
Next year’s budget has money for roof repairs at the county jail, the juvenile detention center, and the courthouse. There’s also money for work to be done at the highway department. There’s also money in the budget for repairs to the fountain at the courthouse as well as some of the crumbling steps outside the building.
For a detailed look at the county budget, go to this website. Printed out, it’s about two inches thick and for those who prefer digital documents, it’s nearly 12 megabytes in size.
