'Menu of Options' for revenue raising
As City Council members continue to deliberate how to cut the city's proposed $342 million budget and avoid eventual financial shortfalls , city staff is proposing a "Menu of Options" to "assist in balancing the FY 2025 budget."
The list includes 38 options for both increasing revenue and cutting expenditures . Staff says the intent is to "explore any combination of these with the Finance and Budget Committee and City Council as part of this budget or next year."
Staff presented the list to residents at Wednesday's 2nd, 5th and 8th joint Ward meeting to discuss the budget.
Options include increasing the property tax levy, increasing the wheel tax, enforcing wheel tax late fees, vacant property fees, increasing parking meter rates and many more.
City staff discussed all the options with all nine council members, and 12 of the 38 gained "strong" or "likely" support from the council members (Tier 1).
If implemented in the proposed budget they could help raise over $1.5 million.
On top of the tier 1 support, many council members supported other ideas that fell into a tier 2 or tier 3 category (based on support) which could save another $3.1 million.
Ald. Devon Reid (8th) said there were some other "big ticket" ideas that haven't gained support among enough council members.
One of the ideas he suggested was charging Northwestern University for using Evanston's Fire Department, something he said could raise hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"We have the legislative authority," Reid said. "[But] most of my colleagues on the council thought it was not the best time."
It was just late last year when the the city took delivery on a new Engine 23 , the $800,000 cost of which was fully paid for by the university.
Reid also suggested putting a referendum on April's municipal election ballot to ask residents where they stand on property tax increases, which some council members believe will occur regardless of cost-cutting.
One resident said he'd prefer to pay incremental increases over the next few years than a huge increase down the road when the city could be forced into raising taxes.
"I would much rather pay a little more in taxes than in 2029 have taxes skyrocketing because now they don't have an option," he said.
But he also said he thought if residents don't understand the status of the city's budget forecast, voters will shoot down any suggestion of raising property taxes.
Ald. Bobby Burns (5th) said he hopes residents can be more engaged in the discussions so the city can have a clearer vision about what residents want.
"We need to ask those questions ... we need that feedback," Burns said. "Part of the hesitation is we aren't getting enough feedback from enough people."
