After holding a public hearing, the Village Board approved the final version of the 2012 General Government budget earlier this month. As approved, the budget will result in a $120,418 increase in the Village Property Tax Levy. As a point of reference, for a home in the Village valued at $211,900 (median), this will translate into a $5.35 increase in the Village portion of the property tax bill, with the total Village tax of $850 for the year. Though the Village collects your entire property tax bill on behalf of Kenosha Unified School District, Kenosha County, the Village, Gateway Technical College, the public library system and the State of Wisconsin, the Village keeps and uses only 19% of your total bill.

THE BUDGET PROCESS AND APPROACH
Village department heads began work on their 2012 proposed general fund budgets this past summer. The general fund budget determines how much the Village will need to collect in property taxes in order to cover operating expenses. Department heads work with the Village Administrator to revise budgets as needed to meet public service expectations in the most efficient and sustainable manner. The Village Board then reviews and questions individual components of proposed budgets and requests modifications if warranted. The Board holds the ultimate responsibility for approving or rejecting the budget.

As department heads began budgeting for 2012, they continued to take a cautious and conservative approach to managing expenses. “Village departments have worked to maintain a high level of service for Village residents at a reasonable cost,” explained Village Administrator Mike Pollocoff. “Given the circumstances of the past several years, this has required finding a balance between meeting our own high expectations and not allowing core services to erode.”

See page 3 of your November Village Newsletter to learn more about the Village approach to budgeting. You can find additional detail related to the 2012 budget by clicking here.