The Daily Herald from Chicago, Illinois • Page 8

PADDOCK PUBLICATIONS OCT. 11, tflfiS Off the Register by HEC Budgeting: Big Burden on Single Committee "There's no need for DuPage County to go into a borrowing program for the foreseeable future," Gerald Weeks, Milton Township, finance chairman of the county board assured this column Wednesday. But he added that the county must program capital expenditures for years ahead. As finance chairman he conducts, with members of his com-, mittee, the task of checking and approving 42 separate budgets for county offices and deportments under the county board administration. THESE INCLUDE SUCH elective offices as county clerk, circuit clerk, county auditor, county treasurer, county recorder, county sheriff, county coroner and such departments as highway, public works, health, TB board, convalescent home and several other agencies.

The finance chairman said his work started on these budgets, which are considered as the DuPage County budget financed mainly from a general tax levy, on July 1. They are being prepared for the 19(9 fiscal year which begins Dec. 1. Right now the committee is halfway through the hearings which require every elected official and every department head to appear with his budget requests and explain the reason for any expenditures, especially requests for increases, and answer all questions put to him. Needless to say.

for every dollar spent a tax axe dollar has to be levied, except for fee-earning offices which the finance chairman tells us turned over in 1968 to the general fund an approximate $500,000. THESE OFFICES ARE recorder, circuit clerk, county clerk and sheriff. The county treasurer, also for 1968 has turned into the general fund an estimated $2.5 million from the 3 per cent tax collec- tion fee. The revenue breakdown for 1968. approximate figures sub- milled by Weeks are: Corporate Fund Levy $1,750,000 Highway Fund Levy $3.000,000 Health and TB Levies $1.000,000 Tax Collection Commission $2,500.000 Sales Tax $1,200,000 All Fee Offices $500,000 THIS COMES TO AN approximate $9,950.000 turned into the county general fund for the fiscal year 1968.

Out of every tax dollar it is estimated the county took 11 cents, all other government bodies another 11 cents and all DuPage County schools 78 cents. Weeks points out that every governing body is entitled by statute to add a 3 per cent charge for the cost of tax collection if it doesn't exceed the maximum levy set by statute. He also sees the county sales tax source drying up because unincorporated areas under county jurisdiction are being eroded i by municipality annexations, which includes annexation of the sales tax. FOR THE COUNTY, this has amounted to .75 per cent. As I the county loses revenue it has to find new sources just to stay even with the status quo.

In the preparation of the budgets today, the finance chairman relates, an accepted formula is followed. This precedent of "making budgets realistic" was established, he says, by Fred Koebbeman, Addison Township, who was finance chairman for a number of years and still serves on the committee. The realistic budget aims to have expenditures at the end of the fiscal year within a range of from 90 to 95 per cent of the budget appropriations. "This has met with wide acceptance among all those who budget." he says, "because it's reasonable." I THE COUNTY IS JUST at the halfway mark in the hearings, all of which must be handled meticulously. There are no shortcuts because the finance committee, and particularly the finance chairman, are charged with the responsibility as "watchdog" for'the entire board, whose members must approve tax levies and funds for the expenditure of'millions of dollars.

Any member is entitled to join in the hearings and the county chairman often does. But those who vote must have confidence in the competence of the finance chairman and his committee. THE HEARINGS ARE expected to be completed by Oct. 21. The county auditor sits in at many of the hearings and makes corrections if they are ordered in any of the 42 budgets, copies of which he has.

He also will prepare the final form of these budgets before they are approved. With Lawyer Or Not, He'll Get His Trial A Sehaumburg man was reprimanded by a DuPage County magistrate Wednesday, and told his case definitely will go to trial Oct. 30, "with or without an attorney." Then, Magistrate George Bo- rov'tc gve some friendly advice to the defendant, Robert Freck, 42, of 229 Wakefield Lane, Sehaumburg, formerly of 115 N. Addison, Wood Dale. He told Freck to contact the grievance committee of the Chicago Bar Assn.

if his attorney seems to be "deliberately avoiding your case." FRECK WAS in DuPage County Magistrate Court on a Bensenville traffic charge of driving while his license was revoked. He had been arrested Aug. 27 on Irving Park Road near Hamilton Street while on his way to work at the Clow Corp. east of Bensenville. Arresting officers were Cpl.

Robert Schneider and Peter Bloode, who had recognized him PTA To Hear Of Fire, Aids Kecneyville Capt. Ralph Wieting will speak to the Keeneyville PTA on "What to Do Until the Fire a Comes" at its meeting at 8 p.m. Oct. 15. as a driver having a revoked license.

Freck said his attorney, Robert Cross, had sent $150 for handling his defense, but was out of town. A phone call by Borovic established that Cross was in court in Chicago, instead of in DuPage County, where he was scheduled to be. (XF p4 Only 3 Arrested In September Roselle Roselle police reported one auto theft and one burglary complaint during September. Only three persons were arrested during the month. Two arrests involved animals and one was for a traffic violation.

Police said only nine of the 123 complaints received have not been cleared. Five of these are for theft and two for vandalism. Two bike thefts were not cleared. MORE THAN 80 tickets were issued for traffic violations and 27 for parking. Police said they held 12 persons in jail during September, Two officers, Stu Remus and Robert Greve were promoted to corporal.

Officer Art Scholz resigned from the force Sept. 1. (Z A public hearing before the board meeting as a committee-of- the-whole will take place Nov. 7. Here, the entire work of the finance committee in this budget preparation will be subject to criticism, discussion and probably a considerable kicking around.

This is often an opportunity to call some shots hanging fire for months by members who may consider that they and the areas they represent have been denied a distinction that is all too apparent. The hardest nut to crack in budget preparation has been in the area of county personnel, which amounts to some 800 employ- es graded and classified to conform with the county's recently adopted wages and benefits program. INFLATION AND THE cost of living increases are playing havoc with this area of the county financing. Competent and reliable employes are available only by competing with private business in pay. Weeks says that employe wages and salaries represent a considerable figure in county financing.

Taxpayers, he says, understand this problem just as well as county board members and county officials. Despite all the provisions for economies, the county budget for the 1969 fiscal year will show an increase of at least 10 pel- cent over 1968. The reason is plain. THIS COUNTY IS IN a state of rapid population growth with accompanying demand for expansion of services. This is especially true in the areas of public works, airport, health, highway department and courthouse accommodations.

Expansion means a larger outlay of tax dollars. The building of a detention home and a new courthouse complex to accommodate the needs of additional thousands of people at a cost of millions of dollars is yet to come. Can the county continue to do all this on a pay-as-you-go basis or will it have to resort to borrowing? Should the county build for the future at the present courthouse site, which many believe feasible, or should it consider a new building for major facilities 'on its 200 acre site two miles west on County Line Road? THESE ARE MAJOR questions giving concern to this county board and the answers cannot long be delayed. The new 1969 budget will be approved at the Nov. 13 session and with it the accompanying appropriation ordinances and tax levy.

Mrs. H. C. Bronars POrter 6-2286 Brentwood Terrace On September 19, the Brentwood Terrace Homeowners Association held its general meeting and election at the Illinois Credit Union League Hall. Newly elected officers are: president, Michael Alois; vice presi- Ddent, Robert Kunde; recording and corresponding secretary, Mildred Van Balen; treasurer, Barbara King: board of directors, John Winter, Jack Grove and Joe Kula.

The first activity planned for this year is the dinner dance to be held Saturday, Nov. 9, at River Forest Country Club, with music by Leon Sash and his orchestra. Ticket information can be obtained from Chairman Bob Kunde, 766-4096. ART AND WINNIE Koopman and sons, Jim and Bobby, have had as recent weekend guests, Barbara, Steve and Chris Muldowney of Havana, 111. They also had a chance to visit Bob and Marilyn Model of Bensenville.

Steven Bush celebrated his eighth birthday with a family party Wednesday. Highlight of the day was a long distance phone call from his grandfather, Harold Wright of Pittsburgh. On Saturday, Steven, brother, Tim, and friends, Glen Gorecki, Jim Bieliek, Richard Franzen, William Luebking and Doug Miller, joined his father, Carey, for an afternoon at Brookfield Zoo. They had birthday cupcakes, ice cream and party treats to complete the day. i a Weldon celebrated her "Sweet 16th" birthday last week on two occasions.

One a family party in the Art Weldon home on York Road. Friday evening Linda was joined by a group of school and neighborhood friends for refreshments and dancing. Ollie Carew's mother, Mrs. Stephen Balog, was guest of honor at a dinner party at Hackney's in Glenview Monday evening. She has now returned to Toledo, after an extended visit in the Carew home.

Cy and Lucille Hartigan and children, Jim, Jerry and Nancy, were guests of Jack and Adeline Swteney last Friday in their Schorsch Village home. Bensenville residents were sorry to hear.of the death last week of Mr. Emil Hugdahl, former resident, in Parsons, Kan. Condolences are extended to his family. Marcy Hansen celebrated her llth birthday last weekend with a family party in the John Hansens' home on York Road.

At- tending the celebration were grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Burch of Evanston and Mr.

and Mrs. John Hansen Sr. of White Pines. ANN ANORE had a most enjoyable birthday Saturday af- termoon. Unencumbered by the cast she wore on her right arm for the last six weeks, Ann and her friends, Debbie Kass, Karen Wleklinski, Karen Kocour, Lori Zurawski, Cindy Carlson, Kathy Newman and Louanne Grobe, spent the afternoon swimming at the Elmhurst YMCA.

They also had birthday cake and ice cream. Ann and brother, Gerg, joined their parents, Ray and Andrea Andre, at a party Saturday evening at the John Obrzut home hj River Grove in honor of an uncle, Martin Spoolstra's 50th birthday. Maureen Sloan is wished a speedy recovery. She was on tae sick list last weekend. The Rollie Wallers, Del Hoffmans and the Kas Wleklinskis participated in a recent treasure hunt in West Chicago given by the American Legion.

Another Brentwood group, the Cy Sloans, Don Bertauts and the Dick Lloyds, won second place in the hunt. Speedy recovery wishes go to Jim Hartigan, who fractured his jaw in an accident last Friday. LUCILLE HAUTIGAN was hostess at a belated birthday party in her York Road home for members of her birthday club, Clara Bianchi, Marguerite Dvorsky, Olga Warzecha, Doro- thy Fritzler and Marge Kintzel, last Wednesday afternoon. The ladies presented Lucille with a gift as a token of their friendship and also as a farewell gift. The Hartigans will soon move to California.

Friends and neighbors extend every wish for happiness to Gene and Jennie Crema and children, Tom and Debbie, who are now living in Clarendon Hills. Ollie Carew celebrated her birthday last week by dining at Steven's Steak House with her husband, Bob. The Carews' daughter, Robin, celebrated her seventh birthday last week and was guest of honor at a family party. Robin's grandmother, Mrs. Stephen Balog of Toledo, helped them celebrate.

Happy birthday wishe; go to Lisa Bourke, Douglas Weldon, A a Falimirski, Barbara Rowland, and Debbie Kass this week. Kevin Bourke celebrated his recent sixth birthday with a family party in the William home on Pamela Drive. Brentwood friends and neighbors extend wishes for happiness in their new home to Marietta and Alan Brady in Columbus, Ga. Alan is stationed at Ft. Benning.

Sympathy is extended to Martin and William 1 Heinrich Jr. on the death of their father, Mr. William Heinrich St. Also to Marjorie Kaiser on the death of father, Mr. Frederick Stuerzl.

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