Romeoville Village Board OKs new budget, lowers property tax rate

The Romeoville Village Board passed the fiscal 2022-2023 budget at its meeting last week which will lower the village’s portion of residents’ property taxes for the seventh year in a row.

The village said in a news release that its portion of property tax bills is about 12% or less of residents’ total bill. The other 88% goes to other taxing bodies.

“As always, Romeoville remains fiscally responsible while also investing in the latest technology for our departments and new amenities for our community,” Mayor John Noak said in a statement.

Property taxes make up about 15% of village revenues, according to the 2022-23 budget document.

Municipalities typically are able to lower or maintain their property tax rates if their populations and number of businesses grow. Romeoville’s population has grown to a little more than 41,000 residents, according to the budget document. The village also has 867 businesses.

About a quarter of the $149 million budget will go to pay for capital improvements.

The capital projects in the budget include street resurfacing, repair, reconstruction and landscaping, bridge repair, a new ladder truck for the Fire Department, redevelopment of Century Park and Lake Strini, new trails, construction of the future Aquatic Center and Romeo Crossing Park and water main replacements, according to a village news release.

A little more than one quarter of the budget goes to pay for salaries and benefits of village employees. The 2022-23 budget includes funds for the equivalent of about 49 full-time employees.

The budget document attributes the increase to the addition of the future Recreation Aquatic Center, which is under construction on the village’s east side. It’s projected to open in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year and is budgeted to have a staff of nearly 39.5 full-time equivalent workers.

The Romeoville Fire Department also proposed changes to convert six part-time firefighter positions to six full-time positions in order to reduce employee turnover.

The Romeoville Police Department also is adding one full-time worker, according to the budget document.