Dear Business Owner,
On 11/16 at the joint meeting between the council and FAC, a 1% increase in DeKalb sales tax was added/included to the 2018 City of DeKalb proposed budget.
Were you aware of this 1% sales tax increase in the budget?
A committee of the whole meeting is scheduled for Tuesday November 21 at council chambers at 5:00 pm for public input on the proposed budget.
Business owners need to give input at the meeting on this proposed sales tax increase by speaking at the public comment section. All speakers need to do is fill out a simple speaker request form (available outside the chambers on a table) and hand into the city clerk.
Below is what the proposed 1% sales tax is to be used for:
The Transmittal Letter in the Proposed Budget document discussed the 1% increase in the Home Rule Sales Tax. This information is from page 12.
The Five-Year Financial Plan covered the need for additional funding to support streets and fleet services and to stabilize the General Fund. An emphasis has also placed an on critical public safety needs. Using the information gathered in the plan and taking feedback received by City Council and the Finance Advisory Committee, staff is recommending a 1.0% Home Rule Sales Tax rate increase to support those critical service needs. The increase is estimated to generate an additional $3.7 million per year. With a July 1, 2018 effective date, the FY2018 proposed budget includes three months of funding for each service need. The below table shows the split by type:
| Type | % Split | Annual Amount | Three Month Amount |
| Streets | 45% | 1,670,400 | 417,600 |
| Fleet | 25% | 928,000 | 232,000 |
| Operations: | |||
| Three Additional Police Officers | 16% | 587,250 | – |
| Operations Stabilization | 14% | 526,350 | 313,200 |
| SubTotal Operations | 30% | 1,113,600 | 313,200* |
| Total | 100% | 3,712,000 | 962,800 |
*Operations total for 3 months is $417,600 of which $313,200 to support operations and $104,000 to meet the General Fund reserve requirement of 25% of expenditures. The three additional Police Officers hire date in FY2019.
The Complete budget and back up material can be found at: http://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4870?fileID=14302
The agenda for the meeting on Nov 21st is: http://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11212017-1209
To contact the council by phone or email: https://www.cityofdekalb.com/333/City-Council
Thank you for your time and let me know if you have any questions and please forward to other business owners,
Will Heinisch
815-748-4228 – CSR Bobcat, DeKalb IL
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33 Comments
How about lower taxes attract more people which increase revenue..
well said Joe.
damn, isn’t 10% high enough? I have an idea, try balancing your budget and quit borrowing…..
The aggregate sales tax already marches many suburbs that also pay into RTA.
The city needs to learn how to cut the sales tax, not increase it.
Sadly, it’s the same attitude as the rest of this state – tax more, spend more, repeat. I suppose it’s not enough that my property taxes went up by $1,000 this year, nope! Pile on some more. WHAT exactly will it take for you people to understand that the more you raise taxes the more you drive the middle class out of this state? We already lead the nation in population decline – do you think raising our taxes again is going to make that better? Let’s see, I could go to Tennessee or Florida – where I could buy twice the house for less, and my taxes would be maybe 1/10th of what they are here- oh and as a bonus, I’d pay $0 in state income tax, plus get better weather! I’d put $20k back in my pocket ANNUALLY just by leaving this state of misery. I stay for family, but don’t know how much longer that even makes sense for me. Sad. Born & raised in this state, but all I can dream about is escaping, and improving (greatly) my quality of life. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/why-illinois-lost-more-residents-than-any-other-state-in-2016/article/2611837
This is regarding a nation, but our state and now or municipality are both trying the same thing. ð¡
Consider the following quote from Winston Churchill: “We contend that for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”
Isnât this the truth. So many people feel exactly like this. Sad.
I am seriously looking forward to leaving this town. This despite many years of long commutes to be able to live here. The city administration has long viewed their residents as hicks, rubes, and as impediments to efficient public administration. And, now they view us as cash cows.
Itâs not just the increase in taxes ( can shop elsewhere) what are they really going to use the funds for? If itâs to ârevitalize â the northwest area of Dekalb I think voters should revolt
Just don’t shop in DeKalb
But! Cracker Jax ð
Lauren Woods I’ll be in soon ”tis the season
I love your store I come see you every Christmas
Cracker Jax transcends location
Why wouldn’t you shop in DeKalb? That’s what is helping DeKalb
Pam Jordan I shop else where
Maybe making some weekend trips to Wisconsin??
It’s way cheaper only 5.5 % sales tax! And really Janesville is not that far.
And in Wisconsin, you actually get decent services for your taxes.
I wonder how much their revenue will decrease because of this tax increase.
Yet the city has untold money to take the bike path under the train bridge. Large crews & large equipment working on this day after day after day. Was this really needed? Was this a priority? Keep raising taxes to fund this nonsense?
That $ came from a grant, specifically for that path.
DeKalb County Online
So itâs free money then? Now I get it ð¤ª
A grant from who?
More than likely it came from the OSLAD program, but not sure. Will check. https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/AEG/Pages/OpenSpaceLandsAquisitionDevelopment-Grant.aspx
Eventually everything comes from the tax paying public even if it came from the federal level or the state level.
This grant money didnât fall from the sky.
Thomas Michael Bottom, grants are not free money. There are strings attached. But the bike path didn’t come from the General Fund.
DeKalb County Online why would Dekalb even take state money the state is broke.
Donât get me wrong, Iâm an avid bicyclist ð´ââï¸ but I absolutely donât see the value in all the money spent on a project like this. I understand it will be safer but coming down Pearl St. and going across 38 at the light worked just fine for me.
I would have much rather this âgrant $â went to the Dekalb Police department. Stopping the violence & random shootings would make me feel safer, not this extremely expensive extension of the bike path. But Iâm just a common working class tax paying citizen. What does it really matter what I think???
How much is the actual cost of this project?
WOW. How many more people are going to leave the county to make larger purchases just to avoid this level of tax?
So the sales tax would then be 9.25%. Wow high as cook county.
Isn’t there a 2% and also another 1% additional tax for things purchased as well?
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I can stop visiting DeKalb in a heartbeat