The Will County Board debated for more than three hours Thursday before deciding on property tax levies for next year.

And, it may not be over yet.

The corporate fund levy, called a 0% levy by the board and pushed by Republicans, will collect no more money from existing property but will take in taxes from new construction.

Republicans – joined by one Democrat – approved the levy in a 12-10 vote.

The approved corporate levy replaces what was proposed by Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, who wanted a 2% increase along with what the county collects from new construction.

Bertino-Tarrant can veto the levy approved by the board. She said after the meeting that she will consider the option.

“You will hear from me as to whether what we did today is appropriate or not,” Bertino-Tarrant told the board after the meeting.

Asked later what she meant, Bertino-Tarrant said, “I am going to make sure that the levy adjustment does not impact any of our daily operations.”

The lower levy, at least for now, creates an unbalanced budget, although by how much was not clear during the prolonged debate.

The county levies, including others beyond the corporate levy, are expected to generate about $2.8 million less in property taxes than what Bertino-Tarrant proposed.

Republicans proposed either cutting the budget to make up the difference or using reserve dollars to fund the budget.

The county currently has $94.8 million in reserves, which amounts to about 33% of the budget. The goal is to have enough in reserves to cover 25% of the budget.

“I say we make a deal here,” board member David Oxley, R-Lockport, said at one point. “Take some money out of reserves and move on.”

Daniel Butler, R-Frankfort called the county reserves “one big fund – huge, in fact."

Republican leader Jim Richmond, R-Mokena, however, said he did not believe budget cuts would be difficult with the 0% levy.

“There have to be some areas where you can do some trimming,” Richmond said.

The budget in the corporate fund, which funds operations, is $282 million. The entire budget is $791 million, which includes $509 million in special revenue funds.

Richmond rejected comments from some Democrats who wanted Republicans to come up with budget cuts to accommodate the lower levy.

“I have been told that I am not in charge of day-to-day operations,” Richmond said. “The last thing you want is for me to tell you what to cut.”

Much of the debate focused on what has been done in the past.

Republicans said the board has approved levies lower than what was proposed by the county executive in the past, leaving the executive to find places to cut from the budget.

Bertino-Tarrant said boards in the past have proposed budget cuts to go with lower levies.

The county executive proposes both the budget and levy, but approval from the County Board is required.

The meeting opened with comments from several people, with most wanting a 0% levy to keep their property taxes down.

“I heard from young people and I heard from old people who can’t take it anymore,” Dan Menegon of Joliet said. “Their pockets are only so deep.”

But Amy Sanchez, a Joliet neighborhood leader, said she was worried about the impact of a lower levy on county services.

“Right now, today, you have responsibilities and commitments that you have already made,” Sanchez told the board.

The County Board portion of an individual property tax bill is about 6%, county officials said.

Darrell Boisdorf, a former Republican candidate for Joliet Township supervisor, said property taxes are “already very high.”

“Any increase, even 1%, will be deeply felt,” Boisdorf said.

Even at 0%, the corporate levy and other county levies are expected to generate $2.2 million in new revenue for the county from taxes on new construction.

The one Democrat joining Republicans to approve the 0% levy was Desiree Ortiz, D-Romeoville.

Ortiz did not comment during the meeting but said during a break that “this is the right thing to do.”

“We want to be sure that we’re responsible stewards of the people’s money,” Ortiz said. “People are constantly complaining that taxes are too high.”