Yorkville eyeing cuts to lower deficit
By Steve Lord slord@stmedianetwork.com March 18, 2013 2:56PM
Sherri Farley, director of the Yorkville chamber
Updated: April 20, 2013 6:12AM
YORKVILLE — As city officials move closer to a budget, the City Council has begun looking at key elements city staff identified for possible cuts.
Aldermen agreed through a consensus to keep a couple proposed items intact, but also agreed to look at redoing a big-ticket item that could save the city some money.
The city is looking at a 2013-2014 fiscal year budget that could have as much as a $700,000 deficit, with higher deficits looming in the next several budget years.
Aldermen agreed to keep funding for Kendall Area Transit, a $23,000 payment the city makes toward the county program each year.
They also agreed to keep up the leaf collection service, despite Mayor Gary Golinski leaning heavily toward eliminating it.
Leaf pickup right now costs the city only about $6,000 a year, and Golinski admitted it would be a small savings. But he said as the city grows and as trees grow in newer subdivision, more parts of the city will use the leaf pickup, and the cost will grow.
But a preponderance of aldermen said residents in their wards like the pickup and want to keep it going.
Aldermen were more in agreement about doing something with the garbage collection subsidy they have given senior citizens for many years, which costs the city about $150,000 a year.
Basically, the city has charged senior citizens only 50 cents a month for garbage pickup, well below what is charged throughout the rest of the city.
Golinski said the subsidy is “hard to justify” during these times, and pointed out some seniors don’t even need it.
Aldermen agreed to look at ideas to keep a discount for people, based on their ability to pay. That would be monitored using the same senior citizen circuit breaker information the federal government uses to establish low-income eligibility.
“If we can find out who actually needs this, then I can support it,” said Spears.
