Will County executive points to loss of federal funding in State of the County speech

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant pointed to the impact of lower federal funding and changing federal policies on county government in her annual State of the County speech on Thursday.

Bertino-Tarrant made her annual address on county government while also proposing a $791 million budget for 2026.

She pointed to the strength in the local economy while also warning of the potential impact from changes in Washington.

Bertino-Tarrant, one of the most influential Democrats in Will County, did not mention President Trump in her speech but made several references to the loss of federal funding on county programs.

“As we plan for continued growth, we need to be clear-eyed about our current national economics,” she said. “I am not an alarmist, but we know we need to be prepared for what may or may not come our way.”

Bertino-Tarrant pointed to several county programs put in place largely with federal funding.

They include two county programs that she said “have saved over 900 households from eviction.”

“The federal government may be backing away from addressing the roots of our problems, but we don’t have that luxury,” Bertino-Tarrant said. ”These challenges will remain in our community."

Republican County Board Member Judy Ogalla from Monee suggested that the county consider reducing its role in the community.

“We cannot continue to grow government,” Ogalla said.

Contending Illinois residents are “taxed to death,” she said, “It has come to a point where people are paying $1,000 or more a month in taxes just for their house. That’s not sustainable.”

The proposed budget is actually down from the current $832 million budget, according to the county executive’s office.

Bertino-Tarrant said the county budget “is comprised of diverse revenue sources.”

Property taxes account for 40% of revenue, with other money coming from intergovernmental revenue and fees, she said.

The proposed property tax levy for next year is $161 million, up by $4.8 million.

The levy includes increased property tax revenue from new development, and Bertino-Tarrant said the county continues to grow with the arrival of new businesses and housing.

“We’re the number one job creator since 2019, creating 15,000 jobs,” she said, noting manufacturing jobs have grown by 1,900, a 9% increase.

Building permits for single-family houses increased 44% over the past year, and the county issued 2,600 building permits in unincorporated areas, Bertino-Tarrant said.

The budget is balanced, she said.

Personnel expenses, including salaries, account for 75% of the operating budget, which pays for day-to-day expenses.

That “leaves very little room for discretionary spending in even the most normal of budget years,” Bertino-Tarrant said.

She, however, pointed to advances in county government, including:

• A 9% increase in service calls to Animal Protection Services, which handled 375,000 calls in the past year

• Progress on new space for the Veterans Assistance Commission, which provides counseling, employment assistance and other services to veterans

• Expansion of a Dial-A-Ride network, which now provides 14,000 rides a year through Access Will County and has expanded to 16 townships