Normal City Manager Mark Peterson says town officials are anticipating a possible drop of $2.5 million through the local sharing of funds from the state income tax. (WJBC file photo)
By Joe Ragusa
NORMAL – Gov. Bruce Rauner has told local municipalities to expect a drop in state funding. Rauner said during his budget address last week that the state transfers $6 billion dollars to local governments and he'd like to reduce that by three percent. Normal City Manager Mark Peterson said the proposal represents about $2.5 million less from the state.
"We could weather the storm," Peterson said. "That's why we're careful. We have reserves and rainy-day funds and so-forth."
Peterson said its still early in the budget making process, so he isn't putting too much stock into specific numbers just yet. But the possibility of a drastic drop in revenue from the state is very real.
"It's going to require almost draconian-level cuts; Cuts to programs that are good and valuable and useful that we just simply can't afford," Peterson tells WJBC's Tim Lewis. "At the same time, it's going to require some revenue increases. That means new taxes and fees, so a combination of two very unpopular things."
Peterson said there aren't many specifics in the Governor's proposed budget, either, so its tough to plan for at this point.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].
