Forest Preserve District Approves Reduced Budget

To keep more than 30,000 acres of forest preserves in Lake County safe, clean and open for people to enjoy, the Lake County Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners adopted a reduced fiscal year 2013-2014 budget of $101.5 million at its May 14 meeting.

For the fifth consecutive year, total forest preserve property tax revenues collected are projected to decrease substantially due to declines in Lake County’s equalized assessed value (EAV), and because of the district's conservative budgeting practices and wise use of available fiscal resources.

The overall budget decreased $12.4 million (11 percent) from the previous year, primarily due to an $11.4 million (21.5 percent) decrease in the capital budget.

Of property taxes collected in Lake County, 2.5 percent of the typical tax bill goes to support your forest preserves. The budget is balanced even though the County’s Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) has had an unprecedented drop of 19.7 percent over the past four years which has translated into a significant drop in property tax revenue.

The district has reduced staff and made many other cost-cutting measures to maintain a balanced budget. The district’s operating budget has been cut by $3.8 million over the past five fiscal years, or approximately 11 percent, despite substantial increases in district lands, trails and facilities during that time.

"This has been another challenging year for many governmental agencies and the Lake County Forest Preserves is no exception. We are proud that our board and staff have continued to work together to look for new ways to do more with less," said President Ann B. Maine, Lake County Forest Preserves. “We are committed to protecting our resources and providing quality outdoor recreation and education opportunities in an environmentally and fiscally responsible way.”

"Our conservative budgeting approach has helped to maintain our AAA bond rating, an achievement that only six forest preserves or park districts in the nation can point toward," said Maine.

Budget Overview

Expenditures for operating and maintaining the Lake County Forest Preserves decreased  by 1.6 percent to $30.6 million. Over two-thirds of the budget funds land purchases and capital projects ($41.7 million) or retirement of voter-approved bonds ($29.1 million) for those lands and projects.

The budget includes a five-year capital improvement plan that outlines 27 projects, such as trails, other public access improvements and habitat restoration, to be completed in forest preserves throughout Lake County. Forest Preserve Commissioners have reviewed the Capital Improvement Plan over the last several months to reset project priorities and budgets to reduce long-term operating costs.

Public access improvements and renovations are underway at several forest preserves throughout the county, including Hastings Lake in Lake Villa. Additions to regional multipurpose trails are planned for the Millennium Trail in central, western and northern Lake County.

"Reductions in the countywide EAV will continue to be a concern as the district moves forward. The district's best course of action is to continue to control costs and carefully consider any changes to programs or staff. The ultimate goal is to maintain the fiscal and environmental health of the district," said Maine.

Submitted by the Lake County Forest Preserve District