2016-04 RESOLUTION 2016—04
RESOLUTION URGING PROMPT ADOPTION OF A STATE
BUDGET AND PROTECTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVENUES
WHEREAS, the Village of Buffalo Grove ("Village"), is a municipality and a home rule unit of
government in Lake and Cook Counties, duly organized and validly existing under Section 6(a)
of Article V11 of the 1970 Constitution and laws of the State of Illinois. and
WHEREAS, the fundamental role of local government is to provide essential set-vices to
residents and businesses; and
WHEREAS, the public safety activities of police and fire protection or critical water and
transportation infrastructure, local governments provide the services that make our communities
attractive for raising a family and running a business; and
WHEREAS, the protection of all state collected local government revenues (including the Local
Governinent Distributive Fund "LGDF"), sales tax and the motor fuel tax ("MFT")) is
paramount for ensuring that the Village has sufficient resources to provide quality public
services that protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents and businesses; and
WHEREAS, each and every unit of local government, including the Village, is directly and
indirectly affected by the current State budget impasse and resulting uncertainty; and
WHEREAS, local government revenues, including the MFT, were reduced by the State in order
to balance the State's Fiscal Year 2015 budget; and
WHEREAS, potential cuts to the L (50%) and other local revenues, and of mandated
property tax freezes, under consideration as part of the discussions pertaining to the State's
Fiscal Year 2016 budget, threaten the stability and viability of local its of government; and
WHEREAS, the Village has done its part to meet its fiscal responsibilities and reduce expenses
during and after the recession, including significantly reducing its workforce, maintaining
balanced budgets each year and fully funding the Village's pension obligations; and
WHEREAS, a 50% reduction in the LGDF would take $2 million away from the Village,
resulting in unavoidable public safety and/or other critical service cuts and/or require increases in
property taxes and/or other local taxes; and
WHEREAS, the State's budget issues must not be used as an excuse to force uncertainty and
financial instability upon units of local government; without stability in revenues and local
services, our communities face severe challenges in meeting the needs of constituents in a
modem economy-9 and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Village of Buffalo Grove strongly urges
the Governor and the General Assembly to discharge their respective Constitutional duties and
promptly adopt a balanced State budget for Fiscal Year 2016; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Village of Buffalo Grove opposes any reduction to or
usurpation of local control of local government revenues, including the LGDF, MFT, sales tax or
local property taxes, as part of the State's budget for Fiscal Year 2016, or otherwise; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to Governor
Bruce Rauner, the four legislative caucus leaders and all state legislators representing the Village
of Buffalo Grove.
Approved this 22" day of February 2016
Beverly Suss n, Village President
ATTEST:
Janet Sirabian, Village Clerk